1  .1^1,2^^ 


LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


SecUon......:.T:: L    I    J 


^'i  OF  Wjjfff^ 
THE  I      JUL;. 11924 

LIFE  OF   JESUS, 

ACCORDING    TO    HIS    ORIGINAL    BIOGRAPHERS. 
WITH    NOTES. 


EDMUND   KIRKE, 


AUTHOR  OF  "AMONG  THK  FIXES,"  "  PATRIOT  BOYS  AND 
PRISON   PICTURES,"  ETC. 


BOSTON : 

LEE    &    SHEPARD,     PUBLISHERS. 

MDCCCLXVII. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  t!ie  year  180(5,  by 

JAMES    R.    GILMORE, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  JIass. 


J.  E.  Fakwei.l  a,  CO. 
Stereotypers  niid    rrintorp, 
Congren  Ulrett. 


TO 

THE   REVEREND    GEORGE  T.   FLANDERS.  / 

/ 

} 

/ 


LIFE    OF    JESUS 


PREFACE. 


This  little  volume  has  grown  up  in  the  following  manner. 
Some  years  since,  to  acquire  a  more  connected  view  of  the 
life  of  Christ  than  can  be  gained  by  a  separate  reading  of  the 
four  Evangelists,  the  writer  made,  for  his  private  perusal, 
a  monotessaron  of  the  four  Gospels,  —  arranging  them  so 
as  to  relate  the  same  event  only  once,  but  to  include  all  the 
teachings,  and  all  the  historical  circumstances  in  one  narra- 
tive. 

Subsequent  investigation  showed  him  that  he  had  made 
some  omissions,  and  many  errors  in  the  true  order  of  events ; 
but  still,  this  imperfect  compilation,  rudely  put  together  in  an 
ordinary  Scrap-book,  was  his  only  Gospel  reading  for  many 
years,  and  from  it  he  obtained  so  vivid  an  idea  of  the  daily 
life  of  Him  who  not  only  "  spoke  as  never  man  spoke,"  but 
who  lived  as  never  man  lived,  that  he  could  almost  see  him 
walking  the  roads,  and  sitting  by  the  lake-shore  of  Galilee  — 
and  until  one  does  this,  he  cannot  know  the  wonderful  beauty 
of  his  most  wonderful  life. 

Not  long  ago  this  rude  compilation  was  accidentally  seen 
by  a  clergyman,  whom  the  writer  has  the  honor  to  count 
among  his  friends,  and  he  recommended  that  —  the  text  be- 
ing stripped  of  the  antiquated  phraseology  of  the  authorized 
version,  and  such  brief  notes  being  added  as  are  needed  to 
explain  its  local  and  historical  allusions  —  it  should  be  given 

19 


20  PREFACE. 

to  the  public.  This,  after  much  hesitation,  —  for  he  is  not 
a  teacher,  but  a  learner,  —  the  writer  has  concluded  to  do  in 
this  volume. 

The  order  of  events  which  has  been  followed  in  the  text  is, 
in  the  main,  that  adopted  by  Dr.  Robinson  in  his  most  excel- 
lent "  Harmony  of  the  four  Gospels,"  The  notes  are  mostly 
the  result  of  a  very  wide,  but  very  desultory  reading  of  Bibli- 
cal authorities ;  and  the  source  whence  particular  parts  have 
been  drawn,  cannot  now,  in  all  cases,  be  readily  ascertained. 
The  most  that  they  contain,  however,  will  be  found  in  the 
Commentaries  of  Clarke,  Whitby,  Olshausen,  Norton,  Tho- 
luck,  Campbell,  and  Rosenmiiller;  in  Home's  Introduction, 
Jahn's  Archaeology,  Critici  Sacra,  Calmet's  and  Smith's  Bible 
Dictionaries,  Dr.  Thomson's  ''Land  and  the  Book,"  Lynch's 
"Expedition  to  the  Dead  Sea,"  Stanley's  "Sinai  and  Pales- 
tine," Neander's  "Life  of  Christ,"  and  Prime's  "Tent  Life 
in  the  Holy  Land ; "  all  which  works  should  be  read  by  every- 
one who  would  acquire  a  full  knowledge  of  this  most  interest- 
ing and  most -important  subject. 

In  the  notes  no  "  practical  observations,"  or  doctrinal 
teachings  are  included.  The  one  who  rightly  reads  the  simple 
record  of  the  life  and  sayings  of  Jesus  needs  no  exhortation  to 
a  right  practice ;  and,  both  by  his  inclination,  and  by  his  habits 
of  thought,  the  writer  is  unfitted  for  the  exposition  —  and 
perhaps  also  for  the  understanding  —  of  any  system  of  theol- 
ogy. The  grandest  truths  were  uttered  by  Jesus  in  the  sim- 
plest words, —  words  which  the  waj-^- faring  man,  though  a  fool, 
can  understand,  —  and  he  himself  said  that  if  any  one  will 
do  His  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be 
of  God,  or  whether  he  spoke  from  himself. 


INTRODUCTION. 


IN  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was 
with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God.  He  was  in  the 
beginning  with  God.  All  things  were  made  by  him, 
and  without  him  nothing  was  made  that  was  made. 
In  him  was  life  ;  and  the  life  was  the  light  of  men. 
And  the  light  shone  in  the  darkness ;  and  the  dark- 
ness received  it  not. 

There  was  a  man  sent  from  God,  whose  name  was 
John.  The  same  came  for  a  witness,  to  bear  testimony 
of  the  Light,  that  all  through  him  might  believe.  He 
was  not  the  Light,  but  was  sent  to  bear  testimony  of 
the  Light.  The  true  Light,  which  shines  on  every 
man,  came  into  the  world.  He  was  in  the  world, 
and  the  world  was  made  by  him,  and  the  world  knew 
him  not.  He  came  to  his  own,  and  his  own  received 
him  not.  But  as  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave 
he  the  right  to  become  children  of  God,  even  to  those 
that  believe  on  his  name  :  Who  are  born,  not  of  supe- 
rior blood,  nor  by  natural  generation,  nor  by  the  will 
of  man,  but  of  God.  And  the  Word  became  flesh, 
and  dwelt  -among  us,  (and  we  beheld  his  gloiy, — 
glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  from  the  Father,)  full  of 
grace  and  truth. 

(21) 


22  INTRODUCTION. 

John  bore  testimony  of  him,  and  cried,  saying, 
"  This  is  he  of  whom  I  said.  He  that  comes  after  me, 
takes  rank  before  me  ;  because  he  was  before  me." 
And  out  of  his  fuhiess  have  all  we  received,  and 
grace  upon  grace.  For  the  law  was  given  by  Moses, 
but  grace  and  truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ. 

No  man  has  seen  God  at  any  time  ;  the  only  begot- 
ten Son,  who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  has 
made  him  known. 

*  John  i.  1-18. 


PART     FIRST. 

THE    BIRTH    AND    CHILDHOOD    OF    JESUS. 
Time  —  About  Thirteen  and  a  half  years. 


LIFE    OF    JESUS 


PART   FIRST. 


IN  the  reign  of  Herod,  King  of  Judea,  there  was  a 
certain  priest  named  Zechariah,  of  the  family  of 
Abijah  ;*  and  his  wife  was  of  the  daughters  of  Aaron, 
and  her  name  was  EHzabeth.  They  were  both 
righteous  in  the  sight  of  God,  walking  blamelessly  in 
all  the  commandments  and  ordinances  of  the  Jewish 
law.  And  they  had  no  child,  because  Elizabeth  was 
barren,  and  both  were  well  stricken  in  years.  But  as 
Zechariah  executed  the  priesf  s  office,  in  the  order  of 
his  course,  it  fell  to  him,  by  lot,  to  offer  incense  in  the 
temple  at  Jerusalem,  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
priesthood ;  and  a  multitude  of  people  were  praying 
in  the  courts  without,  at  the  time  of  incense.  And,  as 
Zechariah  entered  the  holy  place,  an  angel  of  the  Lord 
appeared  to  him,  standing  on  the  right  of  the  altar  of  in- 
cense, and  Zechariah  was  troubled  at  the  sight,  and  fear 
fell  upon  him.  But  the  angel  said,  "  Fear  not,  Zech- 
ariah, for  thy  prayer  is  heard.     Thy  wife,  Elizabeth, 

*  I  Chronicles  xxiv.  lo. 
3  (25) 


26  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

shall  bear  thee  a  son ;  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name 
John.  He  shall  give  thee  joy  and  gladness,  and  many- 
will  rejoice  because  of  his  birth.  He  will  be  great  in 
the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  shall  drink  neither  wine 
nor  strong  drink,  but  be  filled  with  the  holy  spirit  from 
his  mother's  womb ;  and  many  of  the  children  of 
Israel  will  he  tiirn  to  the  Lord  their  God.  He  shall 
go  before  him  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elijah,. turn- 
ing the  hearts  of  the  fathers  to  the  children,  and  the 
disobedient  to  the  wisdom  of  the  just,  making  ready  a 
people  fit  for  the  Lord."* 

/;/  the  order  of  his  course.  — The  priesthood  was  divided  by 
David  into  tvventj-four  courses.  The  several  courses  began 
on  the  Sabbath,  and  each  served  for  one  week.  The  course 
of  Abijah  was  the  eighth  in  order,  and  its  service  began  in 
the  fourth  month  of  the  Jewish  year,  answering  to  our  July. 
John,  therefore,  would  seem  to  have  been  born  about  the 
month  of  May,  and  Jesus  some  six  months  later;  probably  in 
September  or  October. 

It  fell  to  him  by  lot  to  offer  incense.  —  The  various  duties  of 
the  priests  were  divided  among  them  by  lot.  By  the  first  lot 
was  designated  who  should  cleanse  the  outside  of  the  altar ;  by 
the  second,  who  should  sacrifice  the  lamb,  sprinkle  the  blood, 
and  burn  and  scatter  the  incense;  and  by  the  third,  who 
should  ascend  the  high  altar,  and  lay  upon  it  the  members  of 
the  victim.  Only  the  High  Priest,  who  belonged  to  no  par- 
ticular order,  was  allowed  to  enter  the  Holy  of  Holies,  and 
Zechariah,  therefore,  must  have  been  in  the  Holy  Place,  or 
the  Sanctuary,  in  which  incense  was  burned,  and  the  people 
in  the  court  without,  probably  in  "  the  court  of  the  women." 

Nor  strong  drinh.  —  The  common  wine  of  Palestine  is  not 
intoxicating,  and  is  drunk  freely  by  all  classes  of  people.  The 
strong  drink  here  referred  to,  was  probably  a  distillation  of 

*  Malachi  iv.  5,  6. 


AN   AXGEL    APPEARS    TO    ZECHARIAH.  2*] 

And  Zechaiiah  said  to  the  angel,  "How  shall  I 
know  this  ?  I  am  an  old  man,  and  my  wife  is  well 
stricken  in  years."  The  angel  answered,  '•  I  am 
Gabriel,  who  stand  in  the  presence  of  God,  and  I  am 
sent  to  declare  to  thee  these  glad  tidings  ;  and  because 
thou  hast  not  trusted  my  words,  which  will  be  fulfilled 
in  their  season,  thou  shalt  be  silent,  and  not  able  to 
speak,  till  these  things  are  accomplished." 

And  the  people  without  waited  for  Zechariah,  and 
wondered  that  he  tarried  so  long  in  the  temple.  And 
when  he  came  out  he  could  not  speak ;  but  they  knew 
that  he  had  seen  a  vision  ;  for  he  made  signs  to  them, 
though  he  remained  speechless.  And  when  the  time 
of  his  ministration  at  the  temple  was  ended,  he  re- 
turned to  his  own  house,  in  the  hill-country  of  Judea. 

After  this  his  wife  Elizabeth  conceived,  and  kept  her 
condition  secret  for  five  months,  saying,  "  Thus  the 
Lord  has  dealt  with  me,  taking  away  my  reproach 
among  men,  at  the  time  of  his  appointment." 

corn,  apples,  honey,  or  dates,  all  of  which  drinks  were  in  use 
among  the  Jews  at  this  time.  The  East  Indians  have  a  liquor 
they  call  sikkir,  which  is  made  by  steeping  fresh  dates  in 
water  till  it  is  sweetened;  and  this  is  highly  intoxicating. 
From  this  comes  our  name  cider,  and  this  is  supposed  to  be 
the  strong  drink  referred  to  in  the  text.  All  fermented  liquors 
were  prohibited  to  the  Nazarites  and  to  the  Priests  during  the 
week  they  officiated  in  the  temple. 

/  am  Gabriel. — This  name  denotes,  in  Hebrew,  "The 
might  of  the  strong  God."  He  was  the  angel  who,  five 
hundred  years  before,  appeared  to  Daniel,  with  tidings  of  the 
coming  Messiah. 

My  reproach  among  men.  — The  Jewish  women  regarded  it 
as  a  peculiar  happiness  to  be  the  lawful  mother  of  children, 
See  Isa.  iv.  i ;  xliv.  3,  4;  Lev.  xxvi.  9. 


28  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

And  in  Elizabeth's  sixth  month,  the  angel  Gabriel 
was    sent   by    God    to    a    town    of    Galilee,    called 
Nazareth,   to   a   virgin    betrothed   to    a  man    named 
Joseph,  who  was  of  the  house  of  David ;    and  the 
virgin's  name  was  Mary.     And  the  angel  entering  in, 
said  to  Mary,  "  Hail,  thou  who  art  highly  favored ! 
The  Lord  is  with  thee.     Most  blessed  art  thou  among 
women  !  "     And  Maiy  was  troubled  at  the  sight  of  the 
angel  and  at  his  words,  and  cast  in  her  mind  what  the 
salutation  could   mean.     But  the  angel  said  to  her, 
"  Fear  not,  Mar}^,  for  thou  hast  found  favor  with  God. 
And,  lo  !  thou  shalt  conceive  and  bear  a  son,  and  call 
his  name  Jesus.     He  shall  be  gi'eat,  and  the  Son  of 
the  Highest ;  and  the  Lord  God  will  give  to  him  the 
throne  of  his  father  David ;  and  he  shall  reign  over 
the  house  of  Jacob  forever  ;  and  of  his  kingdom  there 
shall  be  no  end."*      Then  Maiy  said  to  the  angel, 
"How  can  this  be,  since  I  know  not  a  man?"     And 
the  angel  answered,  "  The  Holy  Spirit  will  come  upon 
thee,  and  the  power  of  the  Highest  will  overshadow 
thee,  so  that  the  holy  thing  which  shall  be  born  of 
thee  will  be  the  Son  of  God.     And,  lo !   Elizabeth, 
thy  kinswoman,  she  also  has  conceived  a  son  in  her 
old  age,  and  this  is  the    sixth   month  with  her  who 
was  called  barren.     For  with  God  nothing  is  impos- 
sible."    And  Mary   said,  "  Behold  the  handmaid  of 
the  Lord.     Let  it  be  to  me  as  thou  hast  said,"     And 
the  angel  left  her. 

Then  Mary  departed  in  haste,  and  went  into  the 
hill-country,  to  a  town  of  Juda,  and  entering  the  house 

Hill-coutttry  —  The  mountain  region  near  Jerusalem.    Rob- 
*  Micah  iv.  7. 


MARY   VISITS   ELIZABETH.  29 

of  Zecliariah,  saluted  Elizabeth.  And  when  Elizabeth 
heard  her  salutation,  the  babe  leaped  in  her  womb ; 
and  being  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit  she  cried  out, 
with  a  loud  voice,  "Most  blessed  art  thou  among 
women,  and  blessed  is  the  fruit  of  thy  womb !  And 
whence  is  this  that  the  mother  of  my  Lord  should 
come  to  me  ?  For,  lo  !  as  the  voice  of  thy  salutation 
sounded  in  my  ears,  the  babe  in  my  womb  leaped  for 
joy.  And  blessed  is  she  who  believes  that  what  has 
been  told  her  by  the  Lord  will  be  accomplished." 

Then  Mary  said,* 

"  My  soul  magnifies  the  Lord, 

And  my  spirit  rejoices  in  God  my  Saviour. 

For  he  has  regarded  the  low  estate  of  his  hand- 
maiden :  and  lo  !  from  henceforth  all  generations  shall 
call  me  blessed. 

For  he  that  is  mighty  has  done  to  me  great  things  ; 
and  holy  is  his  name. 

And  His  mercy  is  on  them  that  fear  him,  from 
generation  to  generation. 

He  has  made  strong  his  arm  ;  he  has  scattered  the 
proud  in  the  imagination  of  their  hearts. 

He  has  cast  down  the  mighty  from  their  thrones,  and 
exalted  those  of  low  degree. 

He  has  filled  the  hungry  with  good  things,  and  the 
rich  he  has  sent  empty  away. 

inson  supposes  Juda  to  be  a  softened  form  of  Juta,  or  Juttah, 
a  city  of  the  priests  in  the  neighborhood  of  Carmel.  It  is 
about  sixty  miles  from  Nazareth,  and  still  exists  under  the 
same  name. 

*  See  Psalm  xxxlv,  3.  i  Sam.  ii.  2  — 10  2.  Sam.  vii,  26. 
3* 


30  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

He  has  helped  Israel  his  servant  that  his  mercy  may 
be  remembered. 

As  he  said  to  our  fathers,  to  Abram,  and  to  his  seed, 
for  ever." 

And  Mary  abode  with  Elizabeth  about  three 
months,  and  then  returned  to  her  own  home. 

When  Elizabeth's  full  time  came  she  brought  forth 
a  son ;  and  her  neighbors  and  kindred,  having  heard 
of  the  great  mercy  that  the  Lord  had  show^n  her,  re- 
joiced with  her ;  and  coming  on  the  eighth  day  to 
circumcise  the  child,  they  called  him  Zechariah,  after 
tlie  name  of  his  father.     But  his  mother  said  — 

"Not  so,  he  shall  be  called  John." 

And  they  said  to  her.  There  is  none  of  thy  kindred 
called  by  this  name." 

And  they  made  signs  to  his  father,  how  he  would 
have  him  called. 

And  asking  for  a  writing-table,  he  wrote,  "  His 
name  is  John."     And  they  all  wondered. 

And  his  mouth  was  opened  immediately,  and  his 
tongue  loosed,  and  he  spoke,  praising  God. 

And  fear  came  on  all  that  dwelt  round  about :  and 
all  this  was  noised  abroad  through  all  the  hill-country 
of  Judea. 

After  the  najne.  —  The  first  born  son  was  commonly  call- 
ed after  his  father. 

A  -jjriting  table.  —  Before  the  invention  of  paper,  a  small 
table,  covered  with  wax,  was  used  for  ordinary  writing.  The 
pen  was  an  iron  stile  with  which  characters  were  traced  in  the 
wax.  At  the  present  time,  children  in  Barbarj  are  learned  to 
write  on  a  smooth  thin  board,  smeared  over  with  whiting, 
which  may  be  rubbed  off,  or  renewed  at  pleasure. 


THE    SONG    OF    ZECHARIAH.  3 1 

And  all  that  heard  laid  these  things  up  in  their 
minds,  saying,  "  What  manner  of  child  will  this  be  !  '* 
And  the  favor  of  the  Lord  was  on  him. 

And  his  father  Zechariah  being  filled  with  the  Holy 
Spirit  prophesied,  saying, 

"  Blessed  be  the  Lord  the  God  of  Israel ;  for  he  has 
visited  and  redeemed  his  people, 

And  has  raised  up  a  horn  of  salvation  for  us,  in 
the  house  of  his  ser\'ant  David  : 

As  he  promised  by  the  mouth  of  his  holy  prophets, 
who  have  been  since  the  w^orld  began  : 

That  we  should  be  saved  from  our  enemies,  and 
from  the  hand  of  all  that  hate  us  ; 

To  perform  the  mercy  promised  to  our  fathers,  and 
to  remember  his  holy  covenant ; 

The  oath  which  he  swore  to  our  father  Abraham, 

That  he  would  grant  to  us,  that  we,  being  delivered 
from  our  enemies,   might   serve   him  without  fear, 

In  holiness  and  righteousness  before  him,  all  the 
days  of  our  life. 

And  thou,  child,  shalt  be  called  the  Prophet  of  the 
Highest,  for  thou  shalt  go  before  the  face  of  the  Lord 
to  prepare  his  ways. 

To  give  his  people  knov/ledge  of  salvation  by  the 
remission  of  their  sins. 

Through  the  tender  mercy  of  our  God ;  whereby 
the  dayspring  from  on  high  has  visited  us, 

Horn  of  salvation.  —  The  horn  is  the  emblem  of  power; 
for  in  that,  lies  the  strength  of  an  animal.  It  is  probable 
that  allusion  is  here  made  to  the  horns  of  the  altar.  The 
altar  was  a  place  of  refuge  and  safety,  and  whoever  laid  hold 
on  its  horns  was  regarded  as  under  Divine  protection. 

The  day  spring  froiii  on  high,  might,  perhaps  be  more 
literally  rendered,  "  the  dawning  of  the  day  from  heaven." 


32  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

To  give  light  to  them  that  sit  in  darkness  and  in  the 
shadow  of  death,  to  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of 
peace." 

And  the  child  grew,  and  waxed  strong  in  spirit, 
and  was  in  the  deserts  till  the  time  of  his  showing  to 
Israel.* 

The  birth  of  Jesus  Christ  was  on  this  wise  :  After 
his  mother  Mary  was  betrothed  to  Joseph,  before  they 
came  together,  she  was  found  to  be  with  child  by  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Then  Joseph  to  whom  she  was  betrothed 
being  a  good  man,  and  not  willing  to  make  her  a  public 
example,  purposed  to  put  her  away  privately.  But 
while  he  had  this  in  mind,  an  angel  of  the  Lord  ap- 
peared to  him  in  a  dream,  and  said,  "Joseph,  thou  son 
of  David,  fear  not  to  take  Mary  as  thy  wife  :  for  that 
which  is  conceived  in  her  is  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  And 
she  will  bear  a  son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus  : 
for  he  will  save  his  people  from  their  sins." 

All  this  was  done,  to  fulfil  what  had  been  spoken 
of  the  Lord  by  the  prophet,  saying,  "  Lo,  a  virgin  will 
conceive  and  bring  forth  a  son,  and  they  will  call  his 
name  Emmanuel,  which  being  interpreted  is,  God 
with  us."  Then  Joseph  awaking  from  sleep,  did  as  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  had  bidden,  and  took  home  his  wife  : 

By,  tuas  in  the  deserts,  nothing  more  is  probably  meant 
than  that  John  lived  a  secluded  life  among  his  kindred,  in  the 
mountain  region  near  Jerusalem,  until  the  beginning  of  his 
public  ministry. 

A  public  example. — The  punishment  to  which  Mary  was 
liable  was  death  by  stoning.  See  Lev.  xx.  lo;  Eze.  xvi.  38. 
40;  John  viii.  5. 

*  Luke  I.  1-80. 


THE    BIRTH    OF  JESUS.  33 

and  knew  her  not   till  she  had  brought  forth  her  first- 
born son  :  and  he  called  his  name  Jesus.* 

Now  in  those  days  there  went  forth  a  decree  from 
Cesar  Augustus,  that  a  census  should  be  taken  of  all 
the  world.  (And  this  census,  was  first  made  when 
Cyrenius  was  governor  of  Syria.)  And  all  went  to  be 
enrolled,  every  one  to  his  own  town.  And  Joseph 
also  went  up  from  Galilee,  from  the  town  of  Naza- 
reth, to  Judea,  to  the  city  of  David,  called  Bethle- 
hem,—  because  he  was  of  the  house  and  lineage  of 
David,  —  to  be  enrolled  with  Mary,  his  betrothed  wife, 
she  being  great  with  child.  And  while  they  were  there, 
her  full  time  came  to  be  delivered ;  and  she  brought 
forth  her  first-born  son,  and  wrapping  him  in  swath- 
ing-bands,  laid  him  in  a  stable ;  because  there  was 
no  room  for  them  in  the  inn. 

A  decree  from  Cesar  Atigustus. — In  the  year  B.  C.  63., 
Pompej  made  Judea  tributary  to  the  Roman  Empire,  and 
though  Herod  was  styled  King,  he  was  altogether  depend- 
ent on  the  Emperor. 

Bethlehem  —  Is  one  of  the  oldest  towns  of  Palestine,  and 
has  still  a  population  of  about  3000.  The  town  is  about  six 
miles  south  of  Jerusalem,  and  is  built  on  a  long  ridge  of  pure 
limestone,  with  a  deep  valley  at  the  North,  and  another  at  the 
South.  Its  houses  have  a  substantial  appearance,  and  over 
the  cave  where  tradition  locates  the  birth  of  Jesus,  is  a  church 
and  convent,  in  whose  vaults  lamps  are  kept  continually 
burning.  Here  Jerome  is  said  to  have  lived  thirty  years,  and 
to  have  made  the  Vulgate  translation  of  the  Bible.  The  ad- 
jacent country  is  of  great  fertility,  and  celebrated  for  the 
variety  and  richness  of  its  productions. 

In  a  stable. — The  word  in  the  original  means  the  place 

*  Matt.  I.  18-25. 


34  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

And  in  the  same  country  certain  shepherds  were 
watching  their  flocks  in  the  fields  by  night.  And  lo, 
an  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  to  them,  and  a  bright 
light  shone  round  them  ;  and  they  were  greatly  afraid. 
But  the  angel  said  to  them,  "  Fear  not :  for  behold,  I 
bring  you  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to 
all  people ;  for  to-day  a  Saviour  is  born,  in  the  city 
of  David,  who  is  Christ  the  Lord.  And  this  will  be  a 
sign  to  you  ;  3^ou  shall  find  the  babe  wrapped  in  swath- 
ing-bands,  lying  in  a  stable.'*  And  suddenly  there 
was  with  the  angel  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly  host 
praising  God,  and  saying,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  high- 
est, and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  toward  men." 

And  when  the  angels  had  gone  away  from  them 
to  heaven,  the  shepherds  said  one  to  another,  "  Let 
us  go  now  to  Bethlehem,  and  see  this  that  has  come  to 
pass,  which  the  Lord  has  made  known  to  us."  And 
they  went  with  haste,  and  found  Mary  and  Joseph, 
and  the  babe  lying  in  the  stable.     And  when  they  had 

where  cattle  or  camels  were  lodged.  Justin  Martyr,  in  the 
second  century,  spoke  of  Christ's  birth  as  having  taken  place 
*'  in  a  certain  cave  very  close  to  the  village ;  "  and  though  there 
is  nothing  to  sustain  the  supposition  that  the  cave  now  covered 
by  the  Church  of  the  Nativity  is  the  true  locality,  there  is  no 
improbability  in  the  idea  that  this  stable  was  in  a  cave,  for  at 
the  present  day,  caves  in  the  East  are  sometimes  used  as 
stables. 

Ill  the  fields  by  tiigJit.  —  It  was  customary  with  the  Jews  to 
send  their  flocks  into  the  mountains  during  the  summer,  and 
to  take  them  up  when  the  cold  weather  began,  —  late  in  Octo- 
ber or  early  in  November.  They  were  guarded  by  shepherds, 
and  the  fact  that  these  men  were  then  "  abiding  in  the  fields," 
shows  that  the  birth  of  Jesus  was  prior  to  the  month  of  De- 
cember. 


THE    BIRTH    AND    YOUTH    OF  JESUS.  35 

seen  it,  they  made  known  abroad  what  had  been  told 
them  concerning  the  child.  And  all  who  heard 
wondered  at  what  was  told  them  by  the  shepherds. 
But  Maiy  kept  all  these  things,  and  pondered  them  in 
her  heart.  And  the  shepherds  returned,  glorifying  and 
praising  God  for  all  they  had  heard  and  seen,  as  had 
been  told  them. 

And  when  eight  days  had  come  for  the  circumcising 
of  the  child,  he  was  called  Jesus,  the  name  given  him 
by  the  angel,  before  he  was  conceived  in  the  womb. 
And  when  the  time  for  their  purification  according  to 
the  law  of  Moses,  had  come,  they  brought  him  to  Je 
rusalem,  to  present  him  to  the  Lord  :  (as  it  is  written 
in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  Every  male  that  openeth  the 
womb  shall  be  called  holy  to  the  Lord  ;)  and  to  offer 
a  sacrifice  according  to  that  which  is  said  in  the  law 
of  the  Lord,  a  pair  of  turtle-doves,  or  two  young 
pigeons. 

And  lo  !  there  was  a  man  in  Jerusalem,  whose  name 
was  Simeon  ;  he  was  just  and  devout,  waiting  for 
the  consolation  of  Israel :  and  the  Holy  Spirit  was 
upon  him.  And  it  had  been  revealed  to  him  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  that  he  should  not  see  death,  before  he  had  seen 
the  Lord's  Christ.  And  led  by  the  Spirit  he  came 
into  the  temple ;  and  when  the  parents  of  the  child 
Jesus  brought  him  in  to  do  for  him  after  the  custom  of 

Their  purification.  —  For  forty  days  after  the  birth  of  a 
male  child,  the  Jewish  mother  was  considered  impure,  and  not 
allowed  to  enter  the  temple,  or  to  engage  in  public  religious 
exercises. 

A  pair  of  turtle-doves. — This  was  the  offering  of  the  poor; 
from  those  who  were  able,  a  lamb  was  required  for  a  burnt- 
offering,  and  a  dove  for  a  sin-offering. 


36  LIFE   OF  JESUS. 

the  law,  he  took  him  in  his  arms,  and  blessed  God, 
saying,  "  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy  sei-vant  depart 
in  peace,  according  to  thy  w^ord  :  for  mine  eyes  have 
seen  thy  salvation,  which  thou  hast  prepared  to  set 
before  all  nations,  —  a  light  to  enlighten  the  Gentiles, 
and  to  be  the  glory  of  thy  people  Israel."  And  Joseph 
and  his  mother  were  filled  witli  wonder  at  these  things 
being  spoken  of  him. 

And  Simeon  blessed  them,  and  said  to  Maiy  his 
mother,  "  Behold,  this  child  is  set  for  the  fall  and  rising 
again  of  many  in  Israel ;  and  for  a  sign  which  shall 
be  spoken  against ;  (yea,  a  sword  shall  pierce  thine 
own  soul  also  ;)  that  the  thoughts  of  many  hearts  may 
be  revealed." 

And  there  was  one  Anna,  a  prophetess,  the  daughter 
of  Phanuel,  of  the  tribe  of  Asher :  of  a  gi'eat  age, 
who  had  lived  with  a  husband  seven  years  from  her 
virginity.  And  she  was  a  widow  of  about  fourscore 
and  four  years  ;  who  never  left  the  temple,  but  sensed 
God  with  fastings  and  prayers  night  and  day.  She 
also  coming  in  that  instant,  gave  thanks  to  the  Lord, 
and  spoke  of  him  to  all  that  looked  for  redemption 
in  Jerusalem.* 

Ajzd  after  this  Joseph  and  Mary  retui'ned  with  the 
child  to  Bethlehem^  aiidlo  !  wise  men  from  the  east  came 
to  Jerusalem,  saying,  "  Where  is  he  that  is  born  king 

Wise  men  from  the  East.  —  The  Septuagent  translation  of 
the  Scriptures,  which  was  made  at  Alexandria,  B.  C,  about 
280,  had  spread  among  the  eastern  nations  a  general  expecta- 
tion that  a  remarkable  personage  was  to  appear  about  this 
time,  in  Judea.     This  expectation  is  spoken  of,  by  Suetonius 

*  Luke  ii-  1-38. 


THE    BIRTH    AND    YOUTH    OF  JESUS.  2>1 

of  the  Jews  ?  for  we  have  seen  his  star  in  the  east,  and 
have  come  to  worship  him."  When  Herod  the  king 
heard  of  this,  he  was  greatly  moved,  and  all 
Jerusalem  with  him.  And  gathering  all  the  chief 
priests  and  doctors  of  the  law  together,  he  inquired 
of  them  where  Christ  was  to  be  born.  And  they 
answered  him,  "  In  Bethlehem  of  Judea:  for  thus  it 
is  written  by  the  prophet.  "  And  thou  Bethlehem,  in 
the  land  of  Judah  art  not  the  least  among  the  princes 
of  Judah,  for  out  of  thee  shall  come  a  Governor,  who 
shall  rule  my  people  Israel.'  " 

Then    Herod   having  privately  called  the  wise  men, 
inquired    of  them  what   time  the  star  appeared,  and 

and  Tacitus,  Roman  historians,  and  also  by  the  Jews,  Philo 
and  Josephus.  These  wise  men  were  Eastern  priests,  devoted 
to  the  study  of  religion,  philosophy,  and  astronomy;  and  it  is 
natural  to  suppose  that  they  were  acquainted  with  the  Jewish 
prediction.  It  is  not  necessary  to  believe  that  the  celestial  ap- 
pearance which  they  saw,  was  a  star;  for  it  is  said  that  "  it 
went  before  them,  and  stood  over  where  the  young  child  was." 
It  was  probably  a  "great  light,"  such  as  that  which  shone 
about  the  shepherds,  and  is  called  in  the  common  version 
the  "  glory  of  the  Lord." 

The?i  Herod. — This  Herod  was  of  Idumean  descent,  and  the 
second  son  of  Antipater  —  made  procurator  of  Judea,  B.  C, 
47.  When  but  fifteen  years  old  he  received  the  government 
of  Galilee,  and  when  Antony  came  to  Syria,  six  years  later, 
was,  with  his  older  brother,  appointed  tetrarch  of  Judea. 
Forced  to  abandon  Judea  the  next  j^ear  by  the  invasion  of  the 
Parthians,  he  fled  to  Rome,  where  he  was  well  received  by 
Antonj^  and  Octavian,  and  was  made  by  the  Roman  Senate, 
King  of  the  Jews.  In  the  year  B.  C,  37,  with  the  aid  of  the 
Romans,  he  took  Jerusalem,  and  established  his  authority 
throughout  his  dominions.  His  reign  was  not  disturbed  by 
external  troubles ;  but  his  domestic  life,  and  internal  admin- 
4 


38  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

sent  them  to  Bethlehem,  saying,  "  Go,  search  dili^ 
gently  for  the  young  child,  and  when  you  have  found 
him,  bring  me  word,  that  I  also  may  come  and  do  him 
homage."  Having  heard  the  King,  they  departed, 
and,  lo,  the  star  which  they  had  seen  in  the  east,  went 
before  them  till  it  stood  over  where  the  young  child 
was.  When  they  saw  the  star,  they  rejoiced  with  great 
joy ;  and  coming  into  the  house,  found  the  young 
child  with  Mary  his  mother,  and  falling  down  before 
him  they  paid  him  homage  ;  and  opening  their  treasures, 
presented  him  gifts,  —  gold,  and  frankincense,  and 
myrrh.  And  being  divinely  warned  in  a  dream  not 
to  return  to  Herod,  they  went  back  totheir  own  country 
another  way. 

And  when  they  had  gone,  lo !  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
appeared  to  Joseph  in  a  dream,  and  said,  "  Arise, 
take  the  young  child  and  his  mother,  and  flee  to 
Egypt,  and  remain  there  until  I  bring  thee  word  :  for 

istration,  were  stained  with  the  foulest  crimes.  He  put  to  death, 
with  many  others,  his  wife,  Mariamne,  her  grandfather,  her 
mother,  and  two  of  his  own  sons,  one  of  whom  he  caused  to  be 
executed  only  five  days  before  he  died.  He  practised  unheard-of 
barbarities  on  his  subjects,  and  the  monstrous  acts  of  cruelty 
which  are  recorded  of  him  show  that  he  was  fully  capable  of 
the  slaughter  of  the  children  at  Bethlehem.  While  on  his 
death-bed,  he  ordered  all  the  nobles  of  Judea  to  be  assembled 
at  Jericho,  and  confining  them  in  the  circus,  gave  direction 
for  their  execution,  saying  that  every  Jewish  family,  though 
unwillingly,  should  mourn  at  his  death.  He  died  of  a  most 
painful  and  loathsome  disease  at  Jericho,  between  two  and 
four  years,  as  is  supposed,  after  the  birth  of  Christ.  Then 
the  sceptre  "departed  from  Judah,"  and  it  was  ruled  by 
tetrarchs,  without  the  power,  or  royal  magnificence  of  Herod. 


THE    BIRTH    AND    YOUTH    OF  JESUS.  39 

Herod  will  seek  the  young  child  to  destroy  him."  And 
he  arose,  took  the  young  child  and  his  mother,  and 
went  by  night  to  Egypt ;  and  was  there  until  the 
death  of  Herod  :  to  fulfil  what  was  spoken  by  the  Lord 
through  the  prophet,  "  Out  of  Egypt  have  I  called 
my  son." 

Then  Herod,  seeing  that  he  was  mocked  of  the 
wise  men,  was  greatly  enraged,  and  sent  and  destroyed 
all  the  children  that  were  in  Bethlehem,  and  in  all  its 
borders,  who  were  two  years  old  and  under,  according 
to  the  time  which  he  had  ascertained  from  the  wise 
men.  Thus  was  fulfilled  what  was  spoken  by  Jere- 
miah the  prophet,  "  In  Ramah  a  voice  was  heard, 
lamentation,  and  weeping,  and  great  mourning. 
Rachel  weeping  for  her  children,  and  would  not  be 
comforted  because  they  wxre  not."  But  after  the 
death  of  Herod,  lo !  an  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared 
in  a  dream  to  Joseph  in  Egypt,  and  said,  "  Arise, 
and  take  the  child  and  his  mother,  and  go  to 
the  land  of  Israel ;  for  they  are  dead  who  sought  the 
young  child's  life."  And  he  arose,  and  took  the 
child  and  his  mother  ;  and  came  to  the  land  of  Israel. 
But  having  heard  that  Archelaus  was  ruling  in 
Judea  in  the  place  of  his  father  Herod,  he  was  afraid 
to  go  there  :  and  being  divinely  warned  in  a  dream,  he 
turned  aside  and  went  to  Galilee  ;  and  dwelt  in  a  town 
called  Nazareth  ;  to  fulfil  what  was  spoken  by  tlie 
prophets.  "  He  will  be  called  a  Nazarene."*  And 
the  child  grew,  and  waxed  strong  in  spirit,  being 
full  of  wisdom ;  and  the  grace  of  God  was  upon 
him. 

Now  his  parents  went  to  Jerusalem  every  year  at  the 
*  Matt  2.  I  — 23. 


40  LIP^E    OF  JESUS. 

feast  of  the  passover.  And  when  Jesus  was  twelve 
years  old,  they  went  up  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
feast,  and  remained  till  it  was  over.  And  as  they  re- 
turned, the  child  Jesus  stayed  behind  in  Jerusalem.  And 
Joseph  and  his  mother  knew  it  not ;  but  supposing  that 
he  was  in  the  company,  they  went  on,  a  day's  journey, 
and  sought  him  among  their  relatives  and  acquaintance. 
But  not  finding  him,  they  turned  back  to  Jerusalem, 
seeking  him.  And  on  the  third  day  they  found  him  in 
the  temple,  sitting  in  the  midst  of  the  doctors,  both  hear- 
ing them,  and  asking  them  questions.     And  all  who 

Feast  of  the  Passover.  —  This  was  the  first  of  the  three 
great  annual  feasts  of  the  Jews.  It  continued  eight  days,  and 
took  place  at  the  full  of  the  moon  which  occurred  at  the  vernal 
equinox.  It  was  instituted  to  commemorate  the  passing  over 
of  the  houses  of  the  Israelites,  when  the  first-born  of  the 
Egyptians  were  destroyed :  and  at  it  the  first-fruits  of  the 
barley  harvest  were  offered.  The  Pentecost,  occurred  seven 
weeks,  or  fifty  days  later,  and  commemorated  the  giving  of 
the  Law.  At  this  feast,  the  first-fruits  of  the  wheat  harvest 
were  offered.  The  Tabernacles,  occurred  near  the  end  of  Sep- 
tember, or  beginning  of  October,  when  the  produce  of  the 
fields  and  vineyards  had  been  gathered.  It  commemorated 
the  sojourn  of  the  Israelites,  in  tents  or  tabernacles,  in  the 
desert,  and  was  observed  as  a  thanksgiving  for  the  blessings 
of  the  year.  Every  adult  Jew,  dwelling  in  Judea,  was  obliged 
to  attend  at  each  of  these  feasts,  and  the  numbers  at  such 
times  assembled  at  Jerusalem,  often  exceeded  two  millions. 
The  people  on  their  way  to  and  from  the  festivals,  travelled 
in  caravans,  whole  families  often  going  together,  and  it  was 
no  doubt,  among  one  of  these  caravans,  that  Mary  and  her 
husband  sought  the  boy  Jesus,  sorrowing. 

The  Doctors,  —  elsewhere  called  Scribes,  were  the  author- 
ized expounders  of  the  sacred  books  of  the  Jews.  Though 
the  Law  made  it  the  duty  of  parents  to  teach  their  children  its 


THE    BIRTH    AND   YOUTH    OF  JESUS.  4 1 

heard  him  were  astonished  at  his  understanding  and 
his  answers.  And  when  his  parents  saw  him,  they 
were  amazed ;  and  his  mother  said :  "  Son,  why- 
hast  thou  thus  dealt  with  us?  thy  father  and  I  have 
sought  thee  sorrowing."  And  he  said  to  them,  "  How 
is  it  that  you  have  sought  me  ?  know  you  not  that  I  must 
be  about  my  father's  business  ?  "  But  they  understood 
not   wliat   he    said    to    them.      And    he  went    down 

precepts  and  principles,  the  education  of  the  common  people 
consisted  of  little  more  than  the  learning  of  texts  written  on 
phylacteries,  the  committing  to  memorj^  of  endless  genealogies, 
and  such  scanty'  teaching  as  was  given  in  the  synagogues. 
Of  the  Scribes,  however,  a  certain  sort  of  erudition  was  re- 
quired. At  five  years  of  age  the  child  destined  for  this  office 
was  learned  to  read,  at  ten,  he  began  the  study  of  the  Mishna, 
and  at  thirteen  was  expected  to  enter  the  school  of  some 
Rabbi  at  Jerusalem.  If  poor,  he  was  supported  at  this  school 
by  the  synagogue  of  his  town  or  village.  The  education  was 
chiefly  catechetical,  the  pupil  asking  questions  and  the  teacher 
examining  the  scholar;  and  the  class-room  was  a  chamber 
in  the  Temple,  or  the  Private  school  of  the  Rabbi.  In  teach- 
ing, the  Rabbi  occupied  a  high  chair,  and  the  pupils  sat  about 
him,  on  lower  benches,  —  the  younger  on  the  ground,  and 
literally  "  at  his  feet."  Physical  science  formed  a  part  of  the 
course  of  instruction ;  but  much  more  attention  was  given  to 
the  Scriptures,  and  to  the  written  *'  traditions  of  the  elders." 
At  the  age  of  thirty,  the  pupil  was  solemnly  inducted  into 
the  "chair  of  the  Scribes,"  hy  the  imposition  of  hands, 
and  then  was  given  tablets  on  which  to  note  down  the 
sayings,  of  the  wise,  and,  the  "key  of  knowledge,"  (Luke 
xi.  52.)  with  which  he  was  to  open  and  shut  the  treasures  of 
Divine  wisdom.  The  Scribe  might  rise  to  the  high  places, 
become  an  arbitrator  of  family  disputes  (Luke  xii.  14),  the 
head  of  a  school,  a  member  of  the  Sanhedrim ;  or  he  might 
sink  into  an  humble  transcriber  of  the  Scriptures,  or  into  a 
4* 


42  T.IFE    OF   JESUS. 

with   them    to   Nazareth,    and   was    subject   to    their 
direction ;  but  his  mother  kept  all  these  things  in  her 

still  humbler  notary,  writing  out  contracts  of  sale,  or  espousals, 
and  bills  of  repudiation.  The  more  distinguished  of  the 
order  occupied  the  highest  social  position,  and  in  the  time  of 
Christ,  their  passion  for  distinction  was  insatiable.  Com- 
bining within  themselves  nearly  all  the  energy  and  thought 
of  Judaism,  the  close  hereditary  caste  of  the  priesthood  was 
powerless  to  compete  with  them ;  and,  unless  a  priest  became 
also  a  Scribe,  he  remained  in  obscurity.  Under  these  influ- 
ences the  character  of  the  order  was  marked  by  a  deep  and 
incurable  h}pocris3%  which  merited  the  scathing  invectives  of 
Jesus.  See  Smith.  Bible  Dictionary,  and  Adam  Clark,  in  loco. 

In  the  midst  of  the  Doctors.  — When  teaching  in  public  the 
Scribes  sat  on  benches  of  a  semi-circular  form,  raised  above 
their  auditors  and  disciples,  so  that  Jesus  was  no  doubt  literally 
seated  "  in  their  midst." 

Nazareth  —  "  was  a  little  town,  situated  m  a  fold  of  land 
broadly  open  at  the  summit  of  the  group  of  mountains  which 
closes  on  the  north  the  plain  of  Esdraelon.  The  population 
is  now  from  three  to  four  thousand,  and  it  cannot  have  varied 
very  much.  It  is  quite  cold  in  winter,  and  the  climate  is  very 
healthy.  Like  all  the  Jewish  villages  of  the  time,  the  town 
was  a  mass  of  dwellings  built  without  pretension  to  stj'le,  and 
must  have  presented  that  poor  and  uninteresting  appearance 
which  is  offered  hy  villages  in  Semitic  countries.  The  houses 
from  all  that  appears,  did  not  differ  much  from  those  cubes 
ot  btone,  without  exterior  or  interior  elegance,  which  now 
cover  the  richest  portion  of  the  Lebanon,  and  which  in  the 
midst  of  vines  and  fig-trees,  are  nevertheless  very  pleasant. 
The  envirous,  moreover,  are  charming,  and  no  place  in  the 
world  was  so  well  adapted  to  dreams  of  absolute  happiness. 
Antoninus  Martyr,  at  the  end  of  the  sixth  century,  draws  an 
enchanting  picture  of  the  fertility  of  the  environs,  which  he 
compares  to  paradise.  Some  valleys  on  the  western  side  fully 
justify  his  description.  The  fountain  about  which  the  life  and 
gayety  of  the  little  town  formerly  centered,  has  been  des- 
troyed; its  broken   channels   now  give  but   a  turbid  water. 


THE    BIRTH    AND    YOUTH    OF   JESUS.  43 

heart.  And  Jesus  increased  in  Avisdom  and  stature, 
and  in  favor  with  God  and  man. 

With  the  exception  of  something  sordid  and  repulsive  which 
Ismalism  carries  with  it  everywhere,  it  did  not,  in  the  time  of 
Jesus,  differ  much  from  what  it  is  to-day.  We  see  the  streets 
in  which  he  played  when  a  child,  in  the  stony  paths,  or 
the  little  squares  which  separate  the  dwellings.  The  house 
of  Joseph,  without  doubt,  closely  resembled  those  poor  shops, 
lighted  by  the  door,  serving  at  once  for  the  work-bench,  as 
kitchen  and  as  bedi'oom,  having  for  furniture  a  mat,  some  cush- 
ions on  the  ground,  one  or  tvvo  earthern  vessels  and  a  painted 
chest. 

The  horizon  of  the  town  is  limited,  but  if  we  ascend  a  little 
to  the  plateau  swept  by  a  perpetual  breeze,  which  commands 
the  highest  houses,  the  prospect  is  splendid.  To  the  west  are 
enfolded  the  beautiful  lines  of  Carmel,  terminating  in  an 
abrupt  point  which  seems  to  plunge  into  the  sea.  Then 
stretch  away  the  double  summit  which  looks  down  upon 
Megiddo,  the  mountains  of  Gilboa,  the  picturesque  little  group 
with  which  are  associated  the  graceful  and  terrible  memories 
of  Solam  and  of  Endor,  and  Thabor  with  its  finely-rounded 
form,  which  antiquity  compared  to  a  breast.  Through  a 
depression  between  the  mountains  of  Solam  and  Thabor,  are 
seen  the  valley  of  the  Jordan  and  the  high  plains  of  Percea 
which  form  a  continuous  line  in  the  east.  To  the  north,  the 
mountains  of  Safed,  sloping  towards  the  sea,  hide  St  Jean  d' 
Acre,  but  disclose  the  gulph  of  Khaifa.  Such  was  the  horizon 
of  Jesus.  This  enchanted  circle,  the  cradle  of  the  kingdom 
of  God,  represented  the  world  to  him  for  years.  His  life,  even, 
went  little  beyond  the  limits  familiar  to  his  childhood ;  for, 
beyond,  to  the  north,  you  almost  see  upon  the  slope  of  Her- 
mon,  Cesarea  Philippi,  his  most  advanced  point  into  the 
Gentile  world ;  and  to  the  south,  you  feel  behind  these  already 
less  cheerful  mountains  of  Samaria,  sad  Judea,  withered  as  by 
a  burning  blast  of  destruction  and  of  death."  —  renan. 

Subject  to  their  direction.  —  The  early  years  of  Jesus  are 

*  Luke  2.  40-52. 


44  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

veiled  in  obscurity.  It  is  known  that  his  parents  were  poor, 
(Luke  ii.  24)  that  his  reputed  father  was  an  artisan,  that  he, 
himself,  wrought  at  his  father's  trade,  (Mark  vi.  3,)  and  that 
he  was  not  trained  in  any  of  the  schools  of  the  Jewish  nation ; 
(John  vii.  15.,  Matt  xiii.  54,)  but  beyond  this,  all  is  conjecture. 
He  probably  understood  no  other  language  than  the  Syro-Chal- 
daic  and  the  ancient  Hebrew;  and  had  no  other  learning  than 
the  Old  Testament,  and  the  Pharisaic  traditions.  To  attempt 
to  trace  the  secret  of  his  power  to  the  influence  of  his  time, 
or  the  culture  of  the  schools  of  his  nation,  as  has  been  done, 
is  worse  than  useless,  for  he  rises  above  all  times  and  all 
schools,  and  in  his  world-creative  and  world-transforming 
power  stands  alone  in  history.  Like  the  New  Jerusalem 
which  he  founded,  "  he  descended  from  God  out  of  heaven. 


PART     SECOND. 

INTRODUCTION    TO    CHRIST'S    PUBLIC 
MINISTRY. 

Time  —  About  one  year. 


LIFE     OF    JESUS 


PART    SECOND. 

IN  the  fifteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  Tiberius  Cesar, 
Pontius  Pilate  being  governor  of  Judea,  and  Herod 
Antipas  tetrarch  of  GaHlee,  and  his  brother  PhiHp 
tetrarch  of  Iturea  and  the  country  of  Trachonitis,  and 
Lysanias  the  tetrarch  of  Abilene,  while  Annas  and 
Caiaphas  were  high  priests,  the  word  of  God  came 
to  John,  the  son  of  Zechariah  in  the  Desert ;  and  he 
went  through  all  the  country  about  the  Jordan,  preach- 
ing the  baptism  of  repentance  for  the  remission  of 
sins  ;  and  saying,  *•  Repent,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven 

Desert.  —  This  was  a  rough,  mountainous,  and  sparsely 
settled  region,  lying  along  the  western  margin  of  the  Dead 
Sea  and  the  river  Jordan.  It  contained  some  villages,  and 
also  many  scattered  inhabitants ;  but  a  considerable  portion  of 
it  would  properly  be  called  a  wilderness,  (i  Sam.  xxv.  i.  2.) 
Josephus  relates  that  about  this  time  many  devout  men 
among  the  Jews,  disgusted  with  the  wickedness  of  the  age, 
retired  to  desert  places,  and  there,  becoming  teachers  of  a 
purer  morality,  gathered  disciples  about  them :  he,  however, 
mentions  none  by  name  but  the  Baptist. 

The  phrase,  kingdom    of  heaven,  —  might   be    as    literally 
rendered,  "'The  reign  of  God." 
(47) 


48  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

is  at  hand  :  "  This  was  in  fulfilment  of  what  had  been 
v/ritten  by  Isaiah  the  prophet,  "  The  voice  of  one  cry- 
ing in  the  wilderness,  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
make  his  paths  straight.  Every  valley  must  be  filled, 
and  every  mountain  and  hill  be  levelled  down ;  the 
crooked  ways  be  made  straight,  and  the  rough  places 
smooth ;  that  all  men  may  see  the  salvation  from 
God." 

And  John  wore  raiment  of  camel's  hair,  and  had  a 
leathern  girdle  about  his  loins  ;  and  his  food  was 
locusts  and  wild  honey.     And  vast  multitudes    from 

Prepare  ye  the  ivay  of  the  Lord.  —  It  was  the  custom  of 
Eastern  monarchs,  when  setting  out  on  an  expedition,  or  un- 
dertaking a  journey  through  a  desert  country,  to  send  mes- 
sengers before  them,  to  open  the  passes,  level  the  ways,  and 
prepare  all  things  for  their  passage.  The  roads  in  Palestine 
are  wretched  at  their  best  estate ;  but  the  custom  of  the 
farmers  to  gather  up  the  stones  from  the  fields  and  cast  them 
into  the  highways,  renders  them  dangerous,  and,  at  times, 
almost  impassable.  Dr.  Thomson  relates  that  when  Ibrahim 
Pasha  some  years  ago,  proposed  to  visit  the  Lebanon,  the 
emeers  and  sheikhs  sent  forth  a  general  proclamation,  some- 
what in  the  style  of  this  passage,  directing  all  the  inhabitants 
to  assemble  along  the  proposed  route,  and  prepare  the  way 
before  him.  The  same  was  done  in  1845,  on  a  grander  scale, 
when  the  Sultan  visited  Brusa.  The  stones  were  gathered 
out  of  the  roads,  "the  crooked  ways  were  made  straight,  and 
the  rough  places  smooth." 

CameVs  hair. — A  coarse,  cheap  cloth  is  still  made  in  the 
East,  from  the  long,  shaggy  hair  of  the  camel,  and  is  exten- 
sively worn  by  the  poorer  classes.  It  was  the  common  dress 
of  the  Jewish  prophets. 

Locusts  a?id  -wild  ho7iey.  —  Burckhardt  says,  "All  the  Bed- 
awins  of  Arabia  are  accustomed  to  eat  locusts.  At  Medina  and 
Tayf  are  locust  shops  where  these  animals  are  sold  by  meas- 


THE    MINISTRY    OF   JOHN.  49 

Jerusalem,  and  Judea,  and  from  all  the  region  round 
about,  went  out  to  him  and  were  baptized  in  the  Jordan, 
confessing  their  sins. 

But  when  he  saw  that  many  of  the  Pharisees 
and  Sadducees  had  come  to  his  baptism,  he  said  to 

ure.  In  Egypt  and  Nubia  they  are  eaten  by  only  the  poorest 
beggars."  "The  Arabs  in  preparing  them  as  food,  throw 
them  alive  into  boiling  water  with  which  a  good  deal  of  salt 
is  mixed.  After  a  few  minutes  they  are  taken  out,  and  dried 
in  the  sun ;  the  head,  feet  and  wings  are  torn  off,  and  the 
bodies  are  cleansed  from  salt,  and  perfectly  dried."  Locusts 
are  not  now  eaten  in  Syria,  except  by  the  lowest  of  the  Bed- 
awins,  and  are  generally  regarded  with  disgust  and  loathing. 
When  eaten,  they  are  sometimes  fried  in  butter,  and  mixed 
with  wild  honey,  and  this  honey  is  still  plentifully  gathered 
from  the  trees  and  rocks  of  the  desert  in  which  the  Baptist 
sojourned. 

Baptized.  —  Baptism  was  in  use  among  the  Jews  before  the 
time  of  John,  as  the  rite  of  initiation  to  Gentile  proselytes. 
It  was  regarded  as  a  typical  washing  away  of  the  defilements 
of  heathenism. 

Pharisees  afid  Sadducees.  —  The  Pharisees  were  the  most 
numerous  and  influential  sect  among  the  Jews.  They  are 
supposed  to  have  originated  about  three  centuries  before 
Christ,  when  the  national  institutions  of  Judea  were  threat- 
ened with  destruction  from  the  influx  of  Greek  manners  and 
opinions ;  and  their  object  was  to  keep  the  Jews  a  separate 
people.  Hence  their  name,  which  denotes  separated.  Their 
intense  patriotism  made  them  at  once  popular,  and  they  soon 
acquired  a  controlling  influence  in  the  nation.  They  formed  a 
sort  of  society,  whose  members  were  held  to  a  strict  observance 
of  certain  rules;  and  they  looked  with  contempt  on  the 
middle  and  lower  classes  who  did  not  belong  to  their  order. 
These  rules  were  mainly  drawn  from  the  numberless  "tradi- 
tions of  the  elders,"  which  had  accumulated  about  the  law  of 
Moses,  and  some  of  them  were  of  the  most  trivial  and  ridicu- 
5 


50  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

them,  "  O  brood  of  vipers,  who  has  warned  you  to 
flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ?  Bring  forth  fruits  w'or- 
thy  of  repentance  ;  and  say  not  to  yourselves,  '  We 
have  Abraham  for  our  father,'  for  I  tell  you  that  God 
is  able  of  these  stones  to  raise  up  children  to  Abraham. 
Now  the  axe  is  laid  to  the  root  of  the  trees :  and  every 

lous  character ;  but  they  were  regarded  as  of  vital  importance, 
and  their  violation  was  attended  with  the  most  severe  relig- 
ious penalties.  An  egg,  laid  on  a  festival  day,  they  held,  could 
not  be  eaten,  and  an  animal  slaughtered  bj  a  heathen,  was  as 
unfit  for  food  as  one  which  had  died  of  disease.  Thej  were 
proud,  formal,  and  self-righteous ;  but  not  generally  wealthy 
or  given  to  luxury.  Their  besetting  sin  appears  to  have  been 
hypocrisy,  and  their  affectation  of  extreme  sanctity,  no  doubt, 
gave  them  their  great  influence  among  the  Jewish  people, 
whose  religion  had  educated  them  in  formalism.  According 
to  Josephus,  they  believed  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and 
the  resurrection  of  the  body  at  the  last  day.  They  held,  too, 
that  the  soul  of  a  good  man,  might  pass  (transmigrate)  into 
another  body ;  but  that  the  soul  of  the  bad  underwent  eternal 
torment;  and  that  some,  but  not  all,  things  are  the  work  of 
fate :  that  angels,  good  and  bad,  interfere  in  human  affairs, 
and  that  they  were  justified  by  their  own  observance  of  the 
law,  and  by  the  merits  of  Abraham,  who,  by  his  obedience 
had  secured  the  peculiar  favor  of  God  to  his  descendants. 
The  Sadducees,  are  supposed  to  have  originated  with  Zadok, 
a  Jewish  doctor,  who  lived  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  years 
before  Christ,  and  their  leading  tenet  seems  to  have  been  the 
denial  of  all  that  the  Pharisees  affirmed ;  they,  however,  ac- 
cepted the  five  books  of  Moses.  They  were  few  in  number; 
but  powerful  from  their  wealth  and  social  position. 

The  axe  is  laid  to  the  root  of  the  ti'ees.  —  The  fellaheen  of 
Palestine  at  the  present  day,  in  felling  trees,  clears  away  the 
earth,  and  lays  the  axe  at  the  very  roots ;  and  he  values  only 
such  trees  as  bear  fruit.  All  others  he  cuts  down  as  cumberers 
of  the  ground. 


THE    MINISTRY    OF  JOHN.  51 

tree  which  brings  not  forth  good  fruit  will  be  cut  down, 
and  cast  into  the  fire."  And  they  said  to  him,  "  What 
then  must  we  do?"  He  answered,  "Let  him  that 
has  two  tunics,  give  to  him  that  has  none  ;  and  let  him 
that  has  food,  do  likewise.  Even  tax-gatherers  came 
to   him    to    be    baptized,    and   they   said,    "  Master, 

Tax-gatherers.  —  As  early  as  the  second  Punic  War,  the 
Roman  senate  found  it  convenient  to  farm  the  direct  taxes 
and  customs  of  the  empire  to  capitalists,  who  undertook  to 
pay  a  given  sum  into  the  treasury,  and  so  received  the  name 
oi  pitblicani.  These  capitalists  generally  resided  in  Rome, 
and  had  subordinates  living  in  the  provinces,  Avho  had  under 
them  customs  officers  employed  in  the  actual  collection 
of  the  taxes  from  the  people.  These  latter  were  generally, 
natives  of  the  districts  in  which  they  lived.  The  capitalists 
were  an  influential  class,  and  demanded  severe  laws  for  the 
enforcement  of  levies,  and  put  every  such  law  in  execution. 
Their  agents  were  encouraged  in  the  most  fraudulent  and 
vexatious  exactions,  and  a  remedy  was  next  to  impossible. 
The  underlings  of  these  agents  also  overcharged  systemati- 
callj  (Luke  iii.  13),  brought  false  charges  of  smuggling  in 
hopes  of  obtaining  hush-money  (Luke  xix.  8),  and  resorted 
to  every  possible  mode  of  extortion.  All  this  brought  them 
into  universal  disfavor,  and  in  Judea  and  Galilee,  there  were 
peculiar  circumstances  of  exaggeration.  The  Jews  bore  the 
Roman  yoke  with  great  impatience,  and  were  told  by  many 
of  the  Scribes,  that  the  paying  of  tribute  was  unlawful,  (Matt. 
xxii.  17.)  The  native  tax-gatherer  was  therefore  held  in  great 
detestation.  He  was  not  only  an  extortioner,  but  a  traitor 
and  apostate,  defiled  by  intercourse  with  the  heathen,  and  the 
willing  tool  of  the  Roman  oppressor,  and  so  was  cast  out  of 
society,  and  classed  with  sinners, — thieves,  adulterers,  and  other 
abandoned  characters.  He  is  said  by  some,  to  have  been  for- 
bidden to  enter  the  temple,  or  any  synagogue,  and  not  to  have 
been  allowed  to  engage  in  public  prayer,  to  hold  judicial 
office,  or  to  give  evidence  in  courts  of  Justice.     In  Persia,  at 


53  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

what  must  we  do?"  And  he  said  to  them,  "Exact 
no  more  than  is  appointed  you."  And  the  soldiers 
also  demanded,  "What  must  we  do?"  He  said 
to  them,  "  Do  violence  to  no  one,  nor  accuse  any 
falsely ;  and  be  content  with  your  wages."  And 
while  the  people  wei'e  in  expectation,  and  all  were 
questioning  whether  John  were  the  Christ,  or  not ;  he 
said  to  them,  "  I  indeed  am  baptizing  with  water  ;  but 
One  comes  after  me  who  is  mightier  than  I,  his  sandals 
I  am  not  worthy  to  bear :  he  will  baptize  you  with 
the  Holy  Spirit  and  with  fire  ;  for  his  fan  is  in  his 
hand,  and   he  will   thoroughly  cleanse  his  floor,  and 

the  present  day,  the  same  system  of  farming  taxes  is  practised, 
and  under  it  the  same  abuses  exist. 

Soldiers.  —  Herod  Antipas  was  at  this  time  at  war  with 
Aretas,  King  of  Arabia  Petrzea,  and  these  may  have  been 
Jewish  soldiers;  but  as  Judea  was  garrisoned  by  the  Roman 
legions,  they  were  more  likely  Romans.  The  zvages  of  this 
class  were  about  three  cents  a  day,  with  a  meagre  ration,  in 
addition. 

His  sandals  I  am  not  ivorthy  to  bear.  —  Allusion  is  here 
made  to  the  custom  for  servants  to  remove  their  master's 
sandals,  on  his  entering  his  dwelling.  The  same  custom  still 
exists  among  the  Mohammedans. 

His  Fan. — Threshing,  among  the  Jews,  was  done  in  an 
open  space,  without  walls  or  covering,  trodden  down  as  hard 
as  a  floor,  and  usually  on  elevated  ground  to  take  advantage 
of  the  wind  in  winnowing.  The  grain  was  trodden  out,  by 
oxen,  or  beaten  Avith  flails ;  and  was  then  separated  from  the 
chaff  by  a  fan —  a  fork  with  several  prongs,  — which  was  held 
in  the  ha?id,  and  used  to  throw  up  the  mingled  heap  against 
the  wind,  when  the  chafi:',  being  lighter  than  the  wheat  was 
blown  away.  The  chaff,  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  wood,  was 
afterwards  gathered,  and  burned  in  ovens  as  fuel. 


THE    BAPTISM    OF  JESUS.  53 

gather  the  wheat  into  his  garner  ;  but  the  chaff  he  will 
burn  up  with  unquenchable  fire."* 

Thus,  with  many  other  exhortations,  he  published 
the  glad-tidings  to  the  people. 

Then  Jesus  came  from  Galilee  to  the  Jordan  to  be 
baptized  by  John.  But  John  refused  him,  saying,  "  I 
have  need  to  be  baptized  by  you,  and  come  you  to 
me?"  But  Jesus  answered,  "  Peimit  it  to  be  so  now  : 
for  thus  must  we  do  to  fulfil  all  righteousness." 
Then  John  baptized  him.  And  as  Jesus  came  up  out 
of  the  water,  lo  !  while  he  was  praying,  the  heavens 
were  opened,  and  John  saw  the  Spirit  of  God  de- 
scending in  a  bodily  shape,  like  a  dove,  and  lighting 
on  him  :  and  lo  !  a  voice  from  heaven  said  :  "  This  is 
my  beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased."  And 
Jesus  at  this  time  was  about  thirty  years  of  age.f 

Then  Jesus  being  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  was  led 
into  the  Desert  to  be  tempted  by  the  devil.  And  being 
there  forty  days  and  forty  nights  with  the  wild  beasts, 
and  eating  nothing,  he  afterwards  hungered.  Then 
the  tempter  came  to  him  and  said,  "  If  thou  art  the 
Son  of  God,  command  these  stones  to  become  bread." 
But  Jesus  answered,  it  is  written,  "  Man  shall  not 
live  by  bread  alone,  but  by  every  word  that  comes 
from  the  mouth  of  God."     Then  the  devil  took  him  to 

The  heavejis  ivere  opened.  —  Stephen  speaks  of  a  similar 
appearance  in  Acts  vii.  56.  Livy,  in  speaking  of  a  supposed 
like  phenomenon,  says  (Lib.  xxii.  c.  i.)  "the  heaven  appeared 
to  be  rent  with  a  wide  chasm,  and  where  it  was  opened,  a 
great  light  appeared." 

*  Matt  3  :  1-12.  Mark  i  :  2-8.  Luke  3  :   i-i8. 
t  Matt.  iii.  13-17.  Mark  i.  9-1 1.     Luke  iii.  20-23. 
5* 


54  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

the  holy  city,  and  set  him  on  a  pinnacle  of  the  temple, 
and  said  to  him,  "If  thou  art  the  Son  of  God,'  cast 
thyself  down :  for  it  is  written,  '  He  will  give  his 
angels  charge  over  thee,  and  in  their  hands  they  will 
bear  thee  up,  lest  thou  dash  thy  foot  against  a  stone." 
Jesus  said  to  him,  "It  is  also  written,  '  Thou  shalt  not 
make  trial  of  the  Lord  thy  God.' "  Again  the  devil 
took  him  up  to  a  very  high  mountain,  and  showing 
him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and  their  glory,  in 
a  moment  of  time;  said  to  him,  "All  this  will  I  give 
thee  —  for  it  is  committed  to  me,  and  to  whom  I  will 
I  give  it,  —  if  thou  wilt  fall  down  and  worship  me." 
Then  Jesus  answered  him,  "  Get  thee  hence,  Satan ; 
for  it  is  written,  '  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy 
God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve.' "    Then  the  devil 

The  Temptation.  —  Commentators  have  vexed  themselves 
to  determine  the  precise  part  of  the  temple  referred  to  as  the 
J>ijinacle,  and  to  locate  the  "exceeding  high  mountain,"  from 
which  Jesus  was  shown  "  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and 
the  glory  of  them ;  "  but  all  such  inquiries  would  seem  to  be 
unnecessary.  It  cannot  be  supposed  that  Jesus  was  trans- 
ferred by  the  Evil  One  to  Jerusalem,  and  from  no  mountain 
in  Judea  could  he  have  seen  a  tenth  part  of  the  then  Roman 
Empire.  The  account  therefore,  cannot  be  taken  literally; 
but  must  be  understood  as  a  symbolic  representation  of 
Christ's  mental  experience  in  the  Desert.  Viewed  in  this 
light,  it  is  not  only  divested  of  all  improbability ;  but  pre- 
sents internal  evidence  of  being  historically  ti'ue.  What 
more  suitable  than  this  silent,  solitary  preparation  for  the 
great  work  before  him  —  a  work  no  less  than  the  re-creation  of 
a  world  ?  and  what  more  natural  than  his  trial  by  the  powers  of 
Evil  —  powers  which  every  man,  even  if  he  deny  a  personal 
devil,  knows  must  exert  an  active  and  powerful  influence  in  all 
human  affairs. 


THE    TEMPTATION.  55 

having  ended  every  temptation,  left  him  for  a  time, 
and  lo  !  angels  came  and  ministered  to  him.* 

Now  this  is  the  testimony  of  John.  When  the  Jews 
sent  priests  and  Levites  from  Jerusalem,  to  ask  him  ; 
"Who  are  you?"  he  spoke  openly,  not  refusing  to 
answer,  saying,  "  I  am  not  the  Christ."  And  they 
asked  him  ;  Are  you,  Elijah?"  And  he  said  ;  "  I  am 
not."  "Are3'Ou  that  prophet?"  And  he  answered  ; 
"  No."  Then  said  they  to  him ;  "  Who  then  are 
you?    that    we    may    give    an  answer  to    those    who 

The  Jenvs  —  here  referred  to,  were  probably  the  Sanhe- 
drim, or  great  council  of  the  nation,  a  body  composed  of 
seventy-two  judges,  drawn  from  the  chief  priests,  the  scribes, 
and  elders  of  the  people,  and  presided  over  by  the  ruling 
high  priest.  The  tribunal  was  instituted  about  two  hundred 
years  before  Christ,  and  till  the  time  when  Judea  was  subiected 
to  the  Romans,  held  the  power  of  life  and  death.  It  still  had 
cognizance  of  all  important  affairs,  and  retained  the  power  of 
trial  and  sentence  in  capital  cases,  but  not  the  right  of  execution. 
That  was  reserved  to  the  Roman  governor.  John  had  become 
widely  known.  This  is  evident  from  the  multitudes  that 
flocked  to  his  baptism,  and  from  the  presence  at  Bethanj^  ot 
obscure  fishermen  from  the  distant  province  of  Galilee.  His 
wide-spread  reputation,  is  also  spoken  of  by  Josephus. 
Hence,  in  view  of  the  excitement  he  was  creating,  it  was  natu- 
ral that  the  Sanhedrim  should  desire  to  know  his  true  charac- 
ter. 

I  am  not  the  Christ. — Daniel,  five  hundred  years  before, 
had  so  definitely  fixed  the  date  of  Christ's  advent,  that  the 
learned  men  among  the  Jews  were  then  in  daily  expectation  of 
his  appearance.  It  was  supposed  that  Elijah,  risen  from  the 
dead,  would  precede  him,  and,  by  many,  that  the  prophet 
spoken  of  by  Moses,  in  Deut.  xviii.  15.  would  also  attend  his 
coming. 

*  Matt.  iv.  i-ii.     Mark  i.  12,  13.     Luke  iv.  1-13. 


56  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

sent  us.  What  say  you  of  yourself? "  He  said  ;  "  I 
am  a  voice  crying  in  the  desert,  prepare  ye  the  way 
of  the  Lord,"  as  said  die  prophet  Isaiah.  And  those 
who  were  sent,  were  Pharisees  ;  and  they  asked  him  ; 
"  Why  then,  do  you  baptize?  if  3^ou  are  not  the  Christ, 
nor  Ehjah,  nor  that  prophet?"  John  answered  them, 
"  I  baptize  with  water ;  but  there  is  one  among  you, 
whom  you  know  not,  he  who  is  coming  after  me,  — 
whose  sandals  I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose." 

This  took  place  at  Bethany  beyond  the  Jordan,  where 
John  was  baptizing. 

The  next  day  John  saw  Jesus  coming  to  him,  and 
said,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  will  take  away 
the  sins  of  the  world.  This  is  he,  of  whom  I  said ; 
'  After  me  comes  a  man  who  takes  rank  before  me  ; 
for  he  was  before  me.  And  I  knew  him  not ;  but  I 
come  baptizing  with  water  that  he  might  be  made 
manifest  to  Israel." 

And  John  bore  this  testimony  :  "  T  have  seen  the  Spirit 
descending  from  heaven  like  a  dove,  and  resting  on 
him.     And  I  knew  him  not ;  but  he  who  sent  me  to 

W/iy  do  you  baptize  P — Baptism  was  then  practised  only  upon 
heathen  proselj^tes ;  John  baptized  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  : 
hence  the  question. 

Bethany  —  is  the  name  given  to  this  place  in  all  the  oldest 
MSS.  It  was  located  on  the  Jordan,  about  twelve  miles  north 
of  Jericho,  and  was  probably,  as  the  etymology  of  the  word 
denotes,  a  small  hamlet  near  a  ferry. 

/  ktiezv  him  not.  — John  had  lived  a  secluded  life  in  the 
desert ;  therefore,  while  he  cannot  be  supposed  to  have  been 
ignorant  of  the  circumstances  attending  his  own,  and  Christ's 
birth,  it  is  evident  that  he  would  not  naturally  be  personally 
acquainted  with  Jesus,  who  had  been  pursuing  an  humble 
calling  in  an  obscure  town  of  Galilee. 


THE    TESTIMONY    OF  JOHN.  57 

baptize  with  water,  said  to  me,  '  He,  on  whom  thou 
shalt  see  the  Spirit  descending  and  resting,  is  he  who 
will  baptize  with  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  I  have 
seen,  and  bear  testimony  that  this  is  the  Son  of  God."* 

The  next  day,  John  standing  with  two  of  his  disci- 
ples, saw  Jesus  as  he  walked,  and  said,  "Behold!  the 
Lamb  of  God."  And  the  two  disciples  hearing  what 
he  said,  followed  Jesus.  Then  Jesus  turning  about,  and 
seeing  them  following,  said  to  them  "  What  seek  you? " 
They  answered  :  "  Teacher,  where  do  you  dwell?"  He 
said  to  them,  "  Come  and  see."  They  went  and  saw 
where  he  dwelt ;  and  remained  with  him  that  day. 
It  was  about  the  tenth  hour.  One  of  the  two  who 
heard  John  and  followed  Jesus,  was  Andrew,  Simon 
Peter's  brother.  He  first  found  his  brother  Simon, 
and  said  to  him ;  "  We  have  found  the  Messiah ; " 
(that  is,  the  Christ,)  and  he  brought  him  to  Jesus,  and 
he  looking  on  him,  said,  "  You  are  Simon,  the  son  of 
Jonah ;  you  shall  be  called  Peter,"  (which  signifies 
a  rock.) 

The  tenth  hour.  — The  Jews  reckoned  the  day  from  sunrise, 
the  Romans,  as  we  do,  from  midnight.  The  tenth  hour, 
therefore,  might  have  been  either  ten  a.  m,  or  four  p.  m. 

Tou  shall  be  called  Peter.  — In  Matt.  xvi.  i8,  Jesus  explains 
why  he  gave  this  name  to  Simon,  by  saying,  "upon  this  rock 
I  will  build  my  church."  Peter,  though  during  the  life-time 
of  Jesus,  weak,  hasty,  and  unstable,  showed,  after  his  death, 
all  the  strength,  firmness,  and  endurance  of  a  rock.  But  the 
application  of  this  name  to  him  shows  not  only  that  Jesus 
possessed  that  knowledge  of  men  which  is  the  birthi-ight  of  all 
royal  natures ;  it  also  shows  that  then  —  at  the  very  beginning 
of  his  public  career  —  he  had  formed  the  plan,  and  foreseen 
the  progress   of   a  kingdom  which  should   endure   forever. 

♦John  i.  19-32. 


58  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

The  day  following,  Jesus  determined  to  go  into  Gal- 
ilee ;  and  finding  Philip,  he  said  to  him  ;  "  Follow  me." 
Philip  was  of  Bethsaida,  the  town  of  Andrew  and 
Peter.  Philip  met  Nathaniel,  and  said  to  him  ;  "  We 
have  found  him  of  whom  Moses  in  the  law,  and  the 
prophets  wrote,  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  son  of  Joseph." 
And  Nathaniel  said  to  him ;  "  Can  any  thing  good 
come  out  of  Nazareth?"  Philip  answered  ;  "Come 
and  see."  Jesus  saw  Nathaniel  coming  to  him,  and 
said  of  him  ;  "  Behold  a  true  Israelite  in  whom  there 
is  no  guile."  Nathaniel  said  to  him  ;  "  How  know 
you  me?  "  Jesus  answered,  "  Before  Philip  called  you, 
when  you  were  under  the  fig-tree,  I  saw  you."  Na- 
thaniel   answered,   "  Teacher :    you  are  the   Son    of 

Peter  founded  the  church  at  Rome,  and  that  church,  what- 
ever its  corruptions,  kept  Christianity  alive  during  the  dark 
ages.  It  is  therefore  the  foundation  on  vv^hich  Christ  has 
built;  but  it  is  only  the  foundation.  The  superstructure  is 
the  New  Jerusalem  he  is  now  erecting,  and  which  is 
destined  to  cover  the  earth,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea. 

Nathaniel  —  was  of  Cana  in  Galilee,  a  town  only  nine 
miles  from  Nazareth,  and  that  he  did  not  know  Jesus,  shows 
that  the  latter  had  till  now  lived  a  very  obscure  life. 

Can  anything  good  come  out  of  Nazareth  f  —  The  Naza- 
renes,  and  indeed  all  the  Galileans,  were  a  mixed  race, 
partly  of  Gentile  origin,  and  were  contaminated  with  many 
vices.  They  were  proverbially  boorish  and  stupid,  and  had 
produced  no  teachers  or  prophets.  Qohn  vii.  52.)  They  were 
held  in  great  contempt  by  the  Jews  of  Jerusalem. 

Fig-tree.  —  In  the  warm  Eastern  countries,  this  tree  grows 
much  larger  than  in  our  Southern  States,  and  its  broad  leaves 
and  thick-spreading  branches  afford  a  pleasant  shade  from 
the  heat  of  the  day.  Numerous  passages  in  the  rabbinical 
writers  indicate  that  its  shade  was  a  favorite  resort  for  read- 
ing, conversation,  and  prayer. 


THE    MARRIAGE    AT    CANA.  59 

God,  you  are  the  King  of  Israel."  Jesus  said  to  him  ; 
"  Because  I  said  to  you,  I  saw  you  under  the  fig-tree, 
do  you  beHeve  ?  You  will  see  greater  things  than  this. 
Truly,  truly,  I  say  to  you ;  henceforth  you  will  see 
heaven  opened,  and  the  angels  of  God  ascending  and 
descending  to  the  Son  of  Man."* 

And  on  the  third  day  following,  there  was  a  mar- 
riage at  Cana  in  Galilee  ;  and  the  mother  of  Jesus  was 
there.  And  Jesus  and  his  disciples  were  asked  to 
the  feast.     And  the  wine  having  failed,  the  mother  of 

King  of  Israel.  —  The  Jews,  understanding  the  prophecies 
literally,  expected  a  temporal  Messiah,  who  should  free  them 
from  the  Roman  yoke,  and  give  them  dominion  of  the 
world. 

The  angels  ascending  and  descending.  —  This  is  an  evident 
allusion  to  the  ladder  which  Jacob  saw  in  his  dream.  The 
meaning  is,  no  doubt,  that  Nathaniel  would  see  such  super- 
natural manifestations  as  would  fully  prove  that  God  was 
with  Jesus. 

Cana  in  Galilee  —  was  a  small  town,  about  nine  miles 
northeast  of  Nazrareth.  It  is  now  called  Kana,  and  travellers 
describe  it  as  situated  on  an  isolated  hill,  facing  to  the  south- 
east, and  rising  boldly  from  the  margin  of  a  wide  plain, 
called  Buttauf.  Deep  ravines  are  on  two  of  its  sides,  and 
almost  shut  it  off  from  the  surrounding  country.  The  houses 
are  built  of  limestone,  cut  and  laid  up  in  a  rude  fashion,  and 
fragments  of  water-jars  and  the  ruins  of  ancient  cisterns  are 
scattered  about  its  streets,  but  the  place  is  deserted,  and  has 
not  had  a  human  inhabitant  within  fifty  years.  It  is  now  the 
home  of  the  leopard  and  the  wild  boar,  and  its  immediate  neigh- 
borhood is  covered  with  a  thick  jungle,  and  is  so  wild,  that  it  is 
the  favorite  hunting-ground  of  the  Bedawins.  Galilee,  at  this 
time  included  all  the  country  south  of  Phenicia,  and  north  of 

♦John  i.  35-51. 


6o  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

Jesus  said  to  him,  "  They  have  no  wine."  Jesus  said 
to  her,  "Woman,  what  have  you  and  I  in  common? 
My  hour  has  not  yet  come."  His  mother  said 
to  tlie  sei-vants,  "  Whatever  he  may  tell  you,  do." 
And  six  stone  water-pots,  each  holding  two  or  three 
firkins,  were  set  there  to  be  used  for  purifications,  after 
the  custom  of  the  Jews.  Jesus  said  to  the  sen^ants, 
"  Fill  the  pots  with  water."  And  they  filled  them  to 
the  brim.  Then  he  said  to  them,  "  Draw  out  now, 
and  bear  to  the  governor  of  the  feast."  And  they  did  so. 

Samaria,  which  lay  betw-een  the  Jordan  and  the  Mediter- 
ranean. 

The  zvedding  feast  —  among  the  Jews,  often  lasted  seven  or 
eight  days  (Gen.  xxviii.  27.  Judg.  xiv.  14).  The  marriage  took 
place  at  the  house  of  the  bride,  the  feast  which  followed,  at 
the  house  of  the  bridegroom.  The  guests  were  of  two  kinds, 
those  invited,  and  those  who  came  without  invitation.  The 
latter  were  expected  to  bring  presents.  The  governor  was  a 
person  appointed  to  provide  for  the  feast,  and  to  superintend 
the  servants,  and  was  required  to  taste  the  wine  previous  to 
setting  it  before  the  guests. 

Woman  — was  a  form  of  address  used  in  the  East,  as  the 
word  "madam"  is  with  us.  It  was  applied  to  ladies  of  rank,  even 
by  their  servants;  and  Jesus  when  on  the  cross,  used  it  in  ad- 
dressing his  mother.  In  this  answer  to  her,  as  rendered  in  the 
common  version,  there  is  an  apparent  harshness  which  is  not 
warranted  by  the  context.  Her  direction  to  the  servants 
shows  that  in  his  apparent  denial,  she  understood  a  real 
granting  of  her  request,  and  it  seems  also  to  imply  that  though 
this  was  his  first  public  miracle,  she  was  already  acquainted 
with  his  extraordinary  powers. 

Firkins. — The  Hebrew  bath,  a  measure  of  about  seven  and  a 
half  gallons,  is  supposed  to  be  intended.  If  this  be  so,  the 
quantity  of  wine  was  fully  a  hundred  gallons. 

Purifications.  —  The  Jews  were  unclean  if  they  did  not  wash 
both  before  and  after  eating.    This  was  done  in  a  formal  man- 


THE    MARRIAGE    AT    CANA.  6l 

But  when  the  ruler  of  the  feast  tasted  the  water,  now 
become  wine,  not  knowing  whence  it  was,  (but  the 
servants  who  had  drawn  the  water  knew,)  he  called 
to  the  bridegroom,  saying,  "  Every  one  sets  on  the 
good  wine  first :  and  when  men  have  drunk  freely,  that 
which  is  poorer,  but  you  have  kept  the  good  wine  till 
now." 

Thus  Jesus  did  his  first  miracle  at  Cana  in  Galilee, 

ner,  and  was,  with  the  washing  of  cups,  pots  and  brazen 
vessels,  a  ritual  observance  on  which  the  Pharisees  laid  great 
stress. 

Water  now  became  wine.  —  The  master  of  the  feast  detects 
a  difference  between  this  and  ordinary  wine,  and  it  is  not 
necessary  to  suppose  that  the  water  was  actually  made  into 
wine;  but  into  a  substance  closely  resembling  wine. 

A  Miracle,  —  as  the  etymology  of  the  word  denotes,  is 
simply  a  wonder,  or  a  wonderful  work,  but,  as  commonly 
used,  the  term  is  made  to  mean  "  an  event  or  effect  contrary 
to  the  established  constitution  and  course  of  things."  This  is 
doubtless  an  incorrect  definition,  and  as  so  defined,  the  mir- 
acle meets  a  natural  incredulity,  because  Nature  observes 
certain  uniform  laws,  from  which,  to  our  eyes,  she  never  appears 
to  deviate  :  and  as  she  acts  uniformly,  so  far  as  we  see,  we 
have  a  right  to  infer  that  she  acts  so  universally.  But  might 
not  a  miracle  be  better  defined  as  the  action  of  a  higher  law, 
on  a  lower  one,  by  which  the  lower  is  for  the  time  neutralized 
and  suspended .?  Thus,  whenever  we  lift  a  hand,  we  overcome 
the  law  of  gravity  —  that  is,  our  will  suspends  for  the  time 
the  natural  action  of  matter.  We  know  that  Spirit  always  con- 
trols matter.  The  extent  of  its  control  must  depend  solely  on 
the  strength  of  the  will,  and  may  we  not  suppose  that  the  will 
of  the  man  who,  by  a  single  word,  prosti'ated  a  band  of 
Roman  soldiers,  and  by  a  few  chance  thoughts,  scattered 
here  and  there  among  an  ignorant  people,  revolutionized 
a  world,  was  strong  enough  to  give  him  unlimited  control 
6 


63  LIFE   OF  JESUS. 

and  manifested  his  glory ;  and  his  disciples  believed 
in  him. 

After  this  he  and  his  mother,  and  his  kinsmen,  and 
disciples,  went  down  to  Capernaum  ;  but  continued 
there  not  many  days.* 

over  dead  matter.  But  similar  miracles  to  Christ's  have  been 
done  bj  other  men,  and  this  shows  that  he  acted,  not  in 
opposition  to,  but  in  accordance  with  real,  but  as  yet  hidden, 
laws  of  nature.  Wherein  his  miracles  differed  from  those  of 
others,  was  in  their  being  freer,  greater,  and  done  by  the 
natural  action  of  his  own  will.  Peter  says,  "In  the  name  of 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  rise  up  and  walk."  Christ  says,  "  Lazarus, 
come  forth."    And  "  Young  man,  /  say  to  thee,  arise ! " 

*  John  ii.  I-I2. 


PART     THIRD. 

THE   FIRST    PASSOVER,   AND    SUBSEQUENT 
EVENTS. 

Time  —  One  year. 


LIFE     OF    JESUS. 


PART    THIRD. 

THE  passover  of  the  Jews  being  at  hand,  Jesus 
went  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  he  found  there 
those  that  sold  oxen  and  sheep  and  doves,  and  the 
money-changers  sitting  in  the  temple.  And  making  a 
scourge  of  small  cords,  he  drove  them  all  out  with 
the  sheep  and  oxen ;  and  poured  out  the  money 
of  the  exchangers,  overturning  their  tables ;  and 
said  to  those  who  sold  doves,  "  Take  these  things 
hence  ;  make  not  m}^  Father's  house  a  house  of  traf- 

Changers  of  money.  —  For  the  convenience  of  those  from  a 
distance,  booths  were  erected  in  the  outer  court  of  the  temple, 
at  which  everything  necessary  for  the  offerings  was  kept,  and 
where  the  money-changers  had  stands  to  exchange  the  Roman 
coin  for  the  Jewish  money  required  for  the  temple  tribute. 
The  leading  Pharisees  are  supposed  to  have  been  interested 
in  this  traffic.  Josephus  says  that  no  less  than  two  hundred 
and  forty-six  thousand  victims  were  offered  at  one  passover; 
and  as  great  extortion  was  practised,  large  profits  must  have 
arisen  to  the  traffickers. 

Small  cords. — The  original  implies  that  this  scourge  was 
made  of  twisted  reeds,  which,  probably,  was  the  ancient  ma- 
terial for  ropes. 

6*  (65) 


66  LIFE   OF  JESUS. 

fic."  And  his  disciples  called  to  mind  that  it  had 
been  written,  "  My  zeal  for  thy  house  is  consuming  me." 

Then  the  Jews  said  to  him,  "  What  sign  do  you 
show,  that  you  have  authority  to  do  this?"  Jesus  an- 
swered, "  Destroy  this  temple,  and  in  three  days  I  will 
raise  it  up."  Then  the  Jews-  said,  "  Forty  and  six 
years  has  this  temple  been  in  building,  and  will  you 
raise  it  in  three  days  ? "  But  he  spoke  of  the  tem- 
ple of  his  body.  When,  therefore,  he  had  risen 
from  the  dead,  his  disciples  remembered  that  he  had 
said  this,  and  they  believed  the  scripture,  and  the 
words  which  Jesus  had  spoken. 

While  Jesus  was  in  Jerusalem  at  this  festival  of  the 
passover,  many  believed  in  him  from  seeing  his  mir- 
acles. But  he  did  not  trust  himself  to  them,  because 
he  knew  them  all,  and  needed  not  that  any  should  tell 
him,  for  he  knew  what  is  in  man.* 

And  one  of  the  Pharisees  named  Nicodemus,  a 
ruler  of  the  Jews,  came  to  him  by  night,  and  said 
to  him,  "  Rabbi,  we  know  that  you  are  a  teacher  come 
from  God  ;  for  no  man  could  do  these  miracles  that  you 
do,  unless  God  were  with  him."  Jesus  answered  him, 
''  Truly,  truly,  I  say  to  you  ;  unless  a  man  be  born 

Zeal  for  thy  house.  —  Psalms  Ixix.  9. 

Forty  and  six  years.  -*-  Herod  began  the  rebuilding  of  the 
temple  sixteen  years  before  the  birth  of  Christ.  The  work 
on  the  main  building  was  completed  in  nine  years  and  a  half, 
but  the  outbuildings  were  unfinished  at  this  date,  and  were 
not  completed  till  the  time  of  Agrippa.  Jesus  at  this  time 
was   thirtj"-  years  old. 

*  John  ii.  13-25. 


INTERVIEW   WITH   NICODEMUS.  (i*J 

anew,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  Nicode- 
mus  said  to  him.  "  How  can  a  man  be  born  when  he 
is  old?  can  he  enter  again  into  his  mother's  womb, 
and  be  born  ?"  Jesus  answered,  "  Truly,  truly,  I  tell 
you,  unless  one  be  born  of  water,  and  of  the  Spirit, 
he  cannot  enter  the  kingdom  of  God.  What  is  born 
of  the  flesh,  is  flesh ;  and  what  is  born  of  the  Spirit, 
is  spirit.  Marvel  not  that  I  say  to  you,  you  must  be 
born  anew.  The  wind  blows  where  it  will,  and  you 
hear  its  sound,  but  cannot  tell  whence  it  comes,  nor 
whither  it  goes  :  so  is  every  one  born,  who  is  born  of 
the  Spirit." 

Nicodemus  asked,  "  How  can  this  be?"  Jesus  an- 
swered him,  "  Are  you  the  teacher  of  Israel,  and 
understand  not  this  ?  Truly,  truly,  I  say  to  you ; 
we  speak  what  we  know,  and  testify  of  what  we  have 
seen ;  and  you  receive  not  our  testimony.  If  I  tell 
you  earthly  things,  and  you  believe  not,  how  will  you 
believe  should  I  tell  you  heavenly  things  ?  No  one  has 
ascended  to  heaven,  but  he  that  descended  from  heaven, 
— the  Son  of  Man,  who  is  in  heaven.  And  as  Moses 
lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  so  must  the  Son 
of  Man  be  lifted  up ;  tliat  whoever  believes  in  him, 
may  have  eternal  life. 
"For  God  so  loved  the  world,.as  to  give  his  only  begot- 

The  teacher  of  Israel.  —  Nicodemus  was  one  of  the  Sanhe- 
drim, and  reference  to  him  as  the  teacher  implies  that  he 
was  a  prominent  doctor.  He  came  to  Jesus  by  night  to  avoid 
observation ;  but  Jesus  told  him  at  once  that  he  must  "  be  born 
of  water"  —  must  make  an  open  profession  of  his  belief  in 
the  new  religion  —  if  he  would  enter  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Thus  early  he  announced  his  intention  to  organize  a 
society,  and  the  necessity  of  "  confessing  him  before  men." 


6S  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

ten  Son,  that  whoever  believes  in  him  may  not  perish, 
but  have  eternal  life.  For  God  sent  not  his  Son  into 
the  v^orld  to  judge  the  w^orld  :  but  that  through  him  the 
world  may  be  saved.  He  who  believes  in  him  is  not 
judged  j  but  he  who  believes  not  is  already  judged, 
because  he  has  not  believed  in  the  only  begotten 
Son  of  God.  And  the  ground  of  the  judgment  is,  that 
light  has  come  into  the  world,  and  men  love  darkness 
rather  than  the  light,  because  their  deeds  are  evil. 
For  whoever  does  evil  hates  the  light,  and  comes  not 
to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds  should  be  exposed  ;  but  who- 
ever does  truth  comes  to  the  light,  and  it  is  made 
manifest,  that  his  deeds  are  wrought  in  God."* 

After  this,  Jesus  and  his  disciples  went  into  the  coun- 
try of  Judea  ;  and  there  remained  and  baptized,  —  though 
Jesus  baptized  not,  but  his  disciples.  And  John  also 
was  baptizing  in  ^non,  near  Salim,  because  there 
was  an  abundance  of  water  there :  and  many  came 
to  him,  and  were  baptized.  For  John  was  not  yet  cast 
into  prison.  Then  there  arose  a  question  between 
some  of  John's  disciples  and  a  Jew  about  purification. 
And  they  went  to  John  and  said,  "  Rabbi,  he  who  was 
with  you  beyond  the  Jordan,  to  whom  you  bore  testi- 
mony, lo  !  he  is  baptizing,  and  all  men  resort  to  him." 
John  answered,  "  A  man  can  have  nothing,  but  w^iat  is 
.given  him  from  heaven.  You  yourselves  know  that 
I  said,  I  am  not  the  Christ,  but  one  sent  before  him. 

ySnon. — This  place  was  west  of  the  Jordan,  and  about  twenty 
miles  north  of  Bethany,  where  Jesus  was  baptized.  The  river 
near  this  point  is  stated  by  Captain  Lynch,  to  be  about  ten 
feet  in  depth. 

♦John  iii.  1-21. 


JOURNEY    TO   JERUSALEM.  69 

He  who  has  the  bride  is  the  bridegroom  :  but  the  friend 
of  the  bridegroom,  who  stands  by  and  hears  him, 
rejoices  greatly  at  the  bridegroom's  voice  ;  this,  then, 
my  jo)^  is  fully  attained." 

"  He  must  increase,  but  I  must  decrease.  He  who 
comes  from  above,  is  above  all :  he  who  is  from  the 
earth  is  earthly,  and  speaks  earthly  things.  He  who 
comes  from  heaven  is  above  all.  And  what  he  has 
seen  and  heard,  that  he  testifies  and  no  man  receives 
his  testimony.  But  whoever  receives  his  testimony  at- 
tests his  belief  that  God  is  true.  He  whom  God  has 
sent  speaks  the  words  of  God ;  for  God  gives  not 
the  Spirit  to  him  by  measure.  The  Father  loves  the 
Son,  and  has  committed  all  things  into  his  hands.  He 
who  believes  in  the  Son  has  eternal  life  :  and  he  who 
believes  not  the  Son,  will  not  see  life  ;  but  the  wrath 
of  God  will  abide  on  him."* 

Now  Herod  the  tetrarch,  being  reproved  by  John, 

Herod  the  Tetrarch.  —  This  was  Antipas,  a  son  of  Herod 
the  Great,  who  had  died  soon  after  the  birth  of  Christ,  leaving 
his  kingdom  to  three  sons.  He  was  a  weak,  dissokite 
prince,  and  inherited  all  the  vices  of  his  father.  Josephus 
relates  that  on  a  journey  to  Rome,  he  stopped  at  his  brother 
Philip's  house,  and  there,  falling  in  love  with  Herodias,  his 
brother's  wife,  determined  to  repudiate  the  daughter  of  Aretas, 
King  of  Petrsea,  whom  he  had  married,  and  to  marry  Hero- 
dias. Herodias  was  a  grand-daughter  of  Herod  the  Great, 
and  had  married  his  son  Philip,  whom  his  father  had 
disinherited;  and  bj  him,  had  had  one  daughter  —  the  Sa- 
lome who  danced  before  Antipas.  She  was  a  violent, 
ambitious  woman,  and  dissatisfied  with  the  obscure  position 
of    Philip,    no  doubt,   entrapped  Antipas  into  this  alliance. 

*  John  iii.  22-36. 


70  LIFE   OF  JESUS. 

for  taking  Herodias,  his  brother  Phihp's  wife,  and 
for  all  the  evil  he  had  done,  laid  hold  on  him,  put 
him  in  chains,  and  cast  him  into  prison  ;  for  John  had 
said  to  Herod,  "  It  is  not  lawful  that  you  should  have 
your  brother's  wife."  Therefore  Herodias  was  en- 
raged against  him,  and  would  have  killed  him  ;  but 
she  could  not :  for  Herod  stood  in  awe  of  John,  know- 
ing that  he  was  a  just  and  holy  man.  He  heard  him 
gladly,  doing  many  things  at  his  suggestion ;  yet,  for 
Herodias's  sake,  he  would  have  put  him  to  death,  had  he 
not  feared  the  people,  who  regarded  John  as  a  prophet.* 
Then,  Jesus,  hearing  that  John  v>ras  cast  into  prison, 
left  Judea  and  went  again  to  Galilee ;  and  his  way 
lay  through  Samaria.  And  he  came  to  a  city  of 
Samaria,  called  Sychar,  near  the  field  that  Jacob  gave 

The  wife  of  Antipas,  discovering  the  project,  fled  to  Machero, 
a  strong  fortress  on  the  east  of  the  Jordan,  and  in  her  father's 
dominions.  A  war  between  Aretas  and  Antipas  followed, 
and  Machero  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  latter.  Thei-e  John 
was  imprisoned,  and  subsequently  beheaded.  This  incestu- 
ous marriage  greatly  scandalized  the  Jews,  and  in  denounc- 
ing it,  John  only  echoed  the  public  opinion. 

His  -way  lay  through  Samaria.  —  The  way  through  Samaria 
was  the  direct  and  usual  route ;  but  many  travellers  followed 
the  more  circuitous  one  to  the  east  of  the  Jordan. 

Samaria. — This  country  lay  between  Jerusalem  and  Gal- 
ilee, and  included  the  region  bounded  on  the  north  by  the 
range  of  hills  which  begins  on  the  west  at  Mount  Carmel, 
and  runs  east  to  the  valley  of  the  Jordan,  and  on  the  south, 
by  the  northern  possessions  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin;  and 
thus  comprised  the  territory  formerly  occupied  by  the  tribe 

*  Matt.  iv.  12.  xiv.  3-5.  Mark  vi.  17-20.  Luke  iii.  19-20. 
iv.  14. 


THE    WOMAN    OF    SAMARIA.  7I 

to  his  son  Joseph ;  and  Jacob's  well  was  there,  and 

of  Ephraim,  and  the  half-tribe  of  Manasseh.  When  the  ten 
tribes  were  carried  away  captive  to  Babylon,  the  Assyrian 
King  sent  other  nations  to  inhabit  their  country,  and  so  Gen- 
tiles were  placed  "  in  the  cities  of  Samaria,  instead  of  the 
children  of  Israel."  (2  Kings,  xvii.  6,  23.)  These  people  at 
first,  worshipped  idols;  but  being  troubled  with  lions  —  be- 
cause, as  they  supposed,  they  had  not  honored  the  God  of 
the  country — they  asked  the  King  of  Assyria  to  send  them 
one  of  the  captive  priests  to  teach  them  ''how  they  should 
fear  the  Lord."  The  priest  was  sent,  and  henceforth  they 
''feared  the  Lord,  and  served  their  graven  images,"  —  their 
religion  becoming  a  mixture  of  idolatry  and  Judaism.  When 
the  Jews  returned  from  Babylon,  and  began  the  rebuilding 
of  the  temple,  the  Samaritans  offered  their  assistance;  but  the 
Jews  rejected  it  on  the  ground  of  their  idolatry  and  Assyrian 
descent.  Then  a  bitter  feeling  arose  between  the  two  peoples, 
which  was  increased  by  certain  renegade  Jews  who,  from  time 
to  time,  took  refuge  with  the  Samaritans.  One  of  these  ren- 
egades —  Manasseh,  a  man  of  priestly  lineage,  who  had  been 
expelled  from  Jerusalem  by  Nehemiah  for  an  unlawful  mar- 
riage —  about  409  B.  C.  obtained  leave  from  the  Persian  King 
to  build  a  temple  on  Mount  Gerizim.  The  building  of  this 
temple  increased  the  feud  between  the  Jews  and  Samaritans, 
and  many  Jewish  criminals  and  refugees  from  Justice  being 
afterwards  received  and  protected  by  the  Samaritans,  an  irrec- 
oncilable hatred  sprang  up  bet^veen  the  two  nations.  This 
continued  till  the  time  of  Christ,  when  the  Jews  regarded  the 
Samaritans  as  the  worst  of  the  human  race,  and  had  no 
dealings  with  them.  Notwithstanding  their  Assyrian  origin, 
the  Samaritans  claimed  to  be  descended  from  Jacob  (John  4. 
12),  and  to  have  possession  of  the  only  authentic  copy  of  the 
Pentateuch.  They  rejected  the  other  Old  Testament  writings, 
and  held  that  Gerizim  had  been  designated  by  Moses  as  the 
place  where  "  men  should  worship."  The  present  people  of 
Samaria  are  rude,  insolent,  and  dangerous  to  strangers ;  and 
the  former  inhabitants,  according  to  the  prophets,  were  of 
quite  as  bad  a  character. 


73  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

Being  weary  with  his  journey,  Jesus  sat  down  by  the 
well :  and  it  was  about  the  hour  of  noon. 

Sychar.  —  The  true  name  of  this  place  was  Shechem,  but 
Sjchar  —  a  Sjriac  word  signifying  a  drunkard  and  a  liar  — 
was  an  opprobrious  term  applied  to  it  bj  the  Jews.  ^It  was 
forty  miles  north  of  Jerusalem,  and  fifty-two  northwest  from 
Jericho,  and  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  populous  cities 
of  Palestine.  It  received  the  name  of  Neapolis  from  Vespa- 
sian, and  on  coins  still  extant  is  called  Flavia  Neapolis.  Its 
present  name,  Naplous,  is  an  Arabic  corruption  of  Neapolis. 
It  is  situated  in  a  narrow  valley  between  Mount  Gerizim  on 
the  south,  and  Ebal  on  the  north,  and  its  environs  are  de- 
scribed as  being  surpassingly  beautiful.  Gerizim  rises  eight 
hundred  feet  above  the  town,  and  a  lofty  range  of  mountains 
bounds  its  horizon  on  all  srdes.  Streams,  issuing  from  nu- 
merous springs,  flow  down  the  mountain  slopes,  spreading 
verdure  and  fertility  in  every  direction.  Dr.  Robinson  says, 
"  the  whole  valley  is  filled  with  gardens  of  vegetables,  and 
orchards  of  all  kinds  of  fruits,  watered  by  fountains.  It  burst 
upon  us  like  a  scene  of  fairy  enchantment.  We  saw  nothing 
to  compare  with  it  in  all  Palestine."  The  streets  of  the  city 
are  narrow,  and  vaulted  over,  and  mulberry,  orange,  and  pome- 
granate-trees grow  in  among  the  houses,  and  load  the  air 
with  perfume.  The  gardens  are  the  homes  of  numerous 
nightingales,  and  other  birds,  and  from  them,  the  valley  takes 
the  name  of  "the  musical  vale  of  Palestine."  The  city  has 
now  a  population  of  about  two  thousand,  only  two  hundred 
of  whom  are  Samaritans. 

Jacob's  -well  —  is  located  about  a  mile  and  a  half  east  from 
Naplous,  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Gerizim,  and  near  a  wretched 
hamlet,  called  Balata.  It  is  excavated  in  the  solid  limestone 
rock,  is  perfectly  round,  with  sides  hewn  smooth  and  regular, 
and  is  nine  feet  in  diameter  by  about  eighty  in  depth. 
Formerly  the  opening  was  vaulted  over  in  a  small  chamber 
under  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  surrounded  by  a  terrace 
of  rude  masonry  —  on  which,  probably,  Jesus  sat  —  but  this 
is    now  fallen  in,   and    nothing  can   be  seen  below,  but  a 


THE    WOMAN    OF    SAMARIA.  73 

Then  a  woman  of  Samaria  coming  to  the  well  to  draw 
water,  Jesus  said  to  her,  "Give  me  to  drink;"  — 
for  his  disciples  had  gone  away  to  the  city  to  buy 
food.  The  woman  said  to  him,  "  How  is  it  that  you 
who  are  a  Jew,  ask  drink  of  me,  who  am  a  woman 
of  Samaria  ?  (for  the  Jews  have  no  dealing  with  the 
Samaritans.")  Jesus  answered  her,  "  Had  you  known 
the  gift  of  God,  and  who  it  is  that  says  to  you,  '  Give  me 
to  drink  ; '  you  would  have  asked  of  him,  and  he  would 
have  given  you  living  water."  The  woman  said  to 
him,  "  Sir,  you  have  no  bucket  to  draw  with,  and  the 

shallow  pit  nearly  filled  with  stones  and  rubbish.  There 
is  no  mention  of  this  well  in  the  Old  Testament,  and 
it  maj'  have  received  its  name  only  from  the  fact  of 
being  near  the  field  which  Jacob  gave  to  his  son  Joseph. 
In  this  field,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  north  of  the  well, 
is  "the  tomb  of  Joseph."  This  is  a  small  square  enclosure, 
with  whitewashed  walls,  surmounted  by  a  dome.  A  rough 
pillar,  black  with  fire,  is  at  its  head,  and  another  at 
its  foot,  and  on  the  walls  are  two  slabs  with  Hebrew  inscrip- 
tions. There  is  no  doubt  that  this  is  the  resting-place  of  the 
bones  of  the  Patriarch. 

Bemgiveary.  —  How  far  Jesus  had  journeyed  that  day,  we 
do  not  know,  but  the  fact  that  he  was  too  weary  to  go  on,  while 
his  disciples  could  walk  three  miles,  —  a  mile  and  a  half  and 
back, — before  taking  rest  or  food,  shows  that  he  must  have 
had  a  more  than  ordinarily  delicate  physical  constitution. 
This  is  also  shown  by  his  inability  to  bear  his  cross,  and  by 
his  surviving  the  torture  of  crucifixion  only  a  few  hours 
when  ordinary  natures  often  endured  it  for  two  or  three  days. 

A  ivoman.  —  It  was  the  custom  of  the  country  for  women 
to  work  in  the  fields,  and  this  woman  was  probably  thus  em- 
ployed in  the  neighborhood  of  the  well. 

No  bucket. — The  original  word  seems  to  require  this  ren- 
dering. Wells  in  the  east  are  not  furnished  with  drawing 
7 


74  LIFE   OF  JESUS. 

well  is  deep  :  whence  then  have  you  the  living  water  ? 
Are  you  greater  than  our  father  Jacob,  who  gave  us 
this  well,  and  drank  of  it  himself,  and  his  children, 
and  his  cattle?"  Jesus  answered  her,  "Whoever 
drinks  of  this  water  will  thirst  again :  but  whoever 
drinks  of  the  water  I  will  give  him,  will  never 
thirst ;  but  the  water  that  I  will  give  him  will  be 
in  him  a  well  of  water  springing  up  into  eternal 
life."  The  woman  said  to  him,  "  Sir,  give  me  this 
water,  that  I  may  not  thirst  nor  come  here  to  draw." 
Jesus  said  to  her,  "  Go,  call  your  husband,  and  come 
hither."  The  woman  answered,  "  I  have  no  husband." 
Jesus  said,  "  You  say  well,  I  have  no  husband ;  for 
though  you  have  had  five  husbands,  he  whom  you  now 
have  is  not  your'  husband :  in  that  you  speak  truly." 
The  woman  said  to  him,  "  Sir,  I  perceive  you  are  a 
prophet.  Our  fathers  worshipped  on  this  mountain  ; 
but  you  Jews  say,  that  the  place  where  men  ought  to 
worship  is  in  Jerusalem."  Jesus  said  to  her,  "  Woman, 
believe  me,  the  hour  is  coming  when  neither  on  this 
mountain,  nor  yet  at  Jerusalem,  will  men  worship  the 
Father.  You  worship,  you  know  not  what :  we  know 
what  we  worship ;  for  salvation  is  of  the  Jews. 
But  the  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  true 
worshippers  will  worship  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in 
truth ;  for  the  Father  seeks  such  worship.  God  is  a 
Spirit :  and  those  that  worship  him  must  worship  in 

apparatus,    and    travellers    provide   themselves  with    small 
leathern  buckets,  which  they  carry  on  their  journeys. 

On  this  moicntain.  —  Mount  Gerizim  on  which  was  the  tem- 
ple. The  original  edifice  was  destroyed  by  John  Hyrcanus, 
131,  B.  C.  but  it  had  probably  been  rebuilt,  though  with  less 
magnificence. 


THE   WOMAN   OF   SAMARIA.  75 

spirit  and  in  truth."  The  woman  said  to  him,  "  I 
know  that  the  Messiah  is  coming,  —  when  he  comes, 
he  will  tell  us  all  things."  Jesus  said  to  her,  "  I  who 
speak  to  you  am  he." 

And  upon  this  his  disciples  came  and  wondered  that 
he  was  talking  with  a  woman  ;  yet  no  one  said,  "  What 
seek  you?  or,  why  talk  you  with  her?"  The  woman 
then  left  her  waterpot,  and  going  away  to  the  city, 
said  to  the  men,  "  Come,  see  a  man  who  has  told  me 
all  things  that  ever  I  did.  Is  not  he  the  Christ  ?  "  Then 
they  came  from  the  city  to  meet  him.  In  the  mean 
time  his  disciples  prayed  him,  saying,  "Master  eat." 
But  he  said  to  them,  "  I  have  food  to  eat  that  you 
know  not  of."  Then  they  said  one  to  another,  "  Has 
any  one  brought  him  aught  to  eat?"  Jesus  said  to 
them,  "  My  food  is  to  do  the  w411  of  him  that  sent  me, 
and  to  finish  his  work.  Say  you  not,  'After  four 
months  comes  the  harvest?'  Lo  !  I  say  to  you,  lift  up 
)'our  eyes,  and  look  on  the  fields  ;  for  they  are  already 
white  for  the  hai-vest.  And  he  who  reaps  receives 
wages,  and  gathers  fruit  to  life  eternal :  that  both  the 
sower  and  the  reaper  may  rejoice  together.  In 
this  is  fulfilled  that  true  saying ;  '  One  sows,  and 
another  reaps.'  I  send  you  to  reap  where  you  have 
not  labored :  others  have  labored,  and  you  have 
come  into  their  labors." 

Talking  tvitJt  a  'woman.  —  It  was  considered  by  the  Jews 
highly  indecorous  to  converse  with  women  in  public,  and  the 
Rabbis  held  that  to  discourse  with  them  on  any  important  or 
serious  subject,  was  unsuited  to  the  dignity  of  a  doctor  of 
the  law.  It  is  Christianity  alone,  which  has  elevated  woman 
to  her  true  position  as  the  equal  of  man. 

Four  months.  —  No  doubt  a  Jewish  proverb,  that  time  being 
the  usual  interval  between  seed-time  and  harvest. 


76  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

And  many  of  the  Samaritans  of  the  city  believed 
in  him  on  the  testimony  of  the  woman,  that  he  had 
told  her  all  that  she  ever  did.  So  when  they  came 
to  him,  they  besought  him  to  abide  with  them :  and 
he  remained  there  two  days.  And  many  more  be- 
lieved because  of  his  own  teaching ;  and  said  to  the 
woman,  "  No  longer  do  we  believe  because  of  your 
words  ;  for  we  ourselves  have  heard  him  and  know 
that  this  is  truly  the  Saviour  of  the  world."* 

After  two  days  he  departed  thence,  and  went  to 
Galilee,  though  he  himself  testified  that  a  prophet 
has  no  honor  in  his  own  country. 

But  when  he  came  to  Galilee,  the  Galileans  wel- 
comed him,  having  seen  all  that  he  did  at  Jerusalem 
during  the  festival ;  for  they  also  went  to  the  passover. 
So  he  came  again  to  Cana  in  Galilee,  where  he  made 
the  water  wine.  And  there  was  a  certain  officer  of  the 
court  whose  son  was  sick  at  Capernaum.  He,  hear- 
ing that  Jesus  had  come  from  Judea  into  Galilee,  came 
to  him,  and  besought  him  to  go  down  and  heal  his  son, 
who  lay  at  the  point  of  death.  Then  said  Jesus,  "  Can 
you  not  believe,  without  seeing  signs  and  wonders?" 

Officer  of  the  court. — The  court  of  Herod  Antipas.  He 
seems  to  have  had  his  usual  residence  at  Capernaum,  and  it  is 
not  an  improbable  supposition,  that  he  was  Chusa,  Herod's 
steward,  whose  wife  afterwards  attended  on  Jesus. 

Capernaum  —  was  at  the  northwest  extremity  of  the  sea  of 
Gennesaret,  and  distant  about  a  day's  journey  from  Cana.  It 
was  doivti  from  Cana,  the  latter  place  being  located  in  the  hilly 
region  at  the  southwest  of  Capernaum. 

Can  you  not  believe. — The  you  in  the  original  is  in  the 
plural,  which  indicates  that  this  remark  was  addressed  not  so 

*  John  4 :  3-42. 


HEALS    THE    NOBLEMAN's    SON.  77 

And  the  king's  officer  said  to  him,"  Master,  come 
down  before  my  child  die."  Jesus  said  to  him,  "Go  your 
way ;  your  son  hves."  And  the  man  believed  what 
Jesus  told  him,  and  went  his  way.  And  while  he  was 
going  down,  his  servants  met  him,  and  told  him  that 
his  son  was  well.  Then  he  inquired  of  them  the  hour 
when  he  began  to  amend ;  and  they  said,  "  Yester- 
day, at  the  seventh  hour,  the  fever  left  him."  Then  the 
father  knew  that  it  was  the  same  hour  when 
Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Your  son  lives,"  and  he  believed, 
and  all  his  household.  This  was  the  second  mir- 
acle that  Jesus  wrought  in  Galilee,  after  coming  from 
Judea,*  and  his  fame  spread  abroad  through  all  that 
region. 

From  that  time  Jesus  began  to  preach,  and  to  teach 
in  the  Synagogues,  saying,  "  The  time  is  fulfilled.    The 

much  to  the  officer,  who  showed  a  becoming  faith,  as  to  others 
who  were  standing  about  Jesus. 

The  Synagogue. — The  word  means  congregation,  or  house 
of  gatliering :  and  was  used  to  denote  the  local  places  of  wor- 
ship, of  which  there  were  one  or  more  in  nearly  every  town  of 
Judea  and  Galilee.  In  Jerusalem,  according  to  Josephus,  there 
were  four  hundred  and  eighty.  They  were  of  very  remote  an- 
tiquity, and  were  the  principal  means  of  keeping  the  religion  of 
their  fathers  alive  among  the  Jews.  The  building  was  erected 
on  the  model  of  the  temple,  with  a  central  structure,  sur- 
rounded by  a  court,  and  supported  by  pillars,  and  it  varied 
in  size  with  the  population  of  the  locality.  It  always  stood 
on  the  highest  ground,  in  or  near  the  town  to  which  it  be- 
longed, and  was  so  constructed  that  the  people  on  entering, 
and  when  standing  up  for  prayers,  had  their  faces  toward 
Jerusalem.  It  was  commonly  built  at  the  cost  of  the  district; 
but  sometimes  was  erected  by  a  rich  Jew,  or  a  friendly  prose- 

*  John  4 :  43-54. 
7* 


78  LIFE   OF  JESUS. 

kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand.     Repent  and  believe  the 
gospel."     And  he  was  glorified  of  all.* 

And  going  to  Nazareth,  where  he  was  brought  up, 
he  went,  as  was  his  custom,  into  the  Synagogue  on  the 

Ijte,   (Luke   xii.  5).     Its  internal    arrangement  was   copied 
after  the  tabernacle.     At  the  upper,  or  Jerusalem  end,  was  the 
ark,  a  chest  containing  the  sacred  book,  and  here  were  the 
"  uppermost  seats  "  (Matt,  xxiii.  6.)  so  much  desired  by  the 
Phai-isees.     The  people  sat  around,  facing  the  pulpit,  which 
was   farther  towards  the  centre  of  the  building,  on  a  raised 
platform,  upon  which  several  persons  could  stand  at  once. 
At  this  pulpit  the  Reader  stood  to  read  the  Scriptures,  or  sat 
down  to  teach.     The  congregation  were  divided,  the  men  on 
one  side,  the  women  on  the  other,  a  low  partition,  four  or  five 
feet  high,  running  between  them.     In  small  towns  there  was 
often  only  one  Rabbi,  or  teacher ;  but  in  larger  places  there 
was  a  college  of  Elders,  (Luke  vii.  3,)  presided  over  by  "  the 
Chief  of  the  Synagogue."      (Luke  viii.  41.  49.      Acts  xviii.  8. 
-17.)     The  prominent  officer  in  the  larger  Synagogues  was 
known  as  the  officiating  minister,  and  he  read  the  prayers  in 
the  name  of  the  people ;  but  the  minister  referred  to  in  the 
text,  was  a  subordinate  officer,  employed  to  open  the  doors 
and  prepare  the  building  for  service.     Forms  of  prayer  were 
used  in  the  worship,  (Luke  xi.  i,)  and  the  books  of  Moses, 
and  the  Prophets  were  read  every  Sabbath,  portions  being 
read  consecutively,  and  the  whole  being  gone  through  every 
third  year.     These  were  followed  by  the  sermon,  or  exposi- 
tion from  the  Rabbi.    The  officers  of  the  Synagogue  exercised 
in  certain  cases,  judicial  power.     (Matt.  x.  17.     Mark  xiii.  9.) 
They  did  not,  however,  descend  to  the  trivial  disputes  of 
daily  life,  but  attended  to  the  graver  offences  against  religion 
and   morals.      See,   for  a  fuller   account  of  the   Synagogue, 
SmitJis  Bible  Dictioizary. 

As  his  custom  -was.  —  In  the  beginning  of  his  ministry  Jesus 
spoke  in  the  Synagogues,   but  when  his  fame   had   spread 

*  Matt.  ix.  17.     Mark  i.  14,  15.     Luke  iv.  14.  15. 


PREACHES    AT    NAZARETH.  79 

Sabbath,  and  stood  up  to  read.     And  the  book  of  the 
prophet  Isaiah  being  given  to  him,  he  unrolled  it,  and 
found  the  place  where  it  is  written  :     "  The  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  is  upon  me.     He  has  anointed  me  to  preach 
glad  tidings  to  the  poor ;  he  has  sent  me  to  heal  the 
broken    hearted,  to  proclaim  deliverance  to  the  cap- 
tives,   tlie    recovery    of  sight  to  the  blind,  to   set  at 
liberty  the    oppressed,    to   proclaim  the   joyful    year 
of  the   Lord."     And    rolling  up  the  volume  he  gave 
it    to   the    minister,    and   sat  down ;  and  the  eyes  of 
all  in  the  Synagogue  were  fastened  on  him.     Then 
he  said  to  them,  "  To-day  this  scripture  is  fulfilled  in 
your  ears."     And  all  wondered,  and  bore  testimony  to 
the  gracious  words  which  came  from  his  mouth.    But 
tliey    said,  "Is    not   this  the  son  of  Joseph?"     And 
he  said  to  them,    "  You   will  surely  say  to  me  this 
proverb,  '  Physician,  heal  thyself:  wdiatwehave  heard 
of  your  doing  in  Capernaum,  do  also  here  in  your  own 
country.'      But  I  say  to  you.  No  prophet  is  accepted 
in  his  own  country  ;  and  I  tell  you  in  truth,  that  many 
widows  were  in  Israel  in  the  days  of  Elijah,  when  the 
heaven  was  shut  up  three  years  and  six  months,  when 
great  famine  was  in  all  the  land  ;  but  to  none  of  them 
w^as  Elijah  sent,  but  to  a  widow  of  Zarephath,  a  city 
of  Sidon.      And   many  lepers  were  in  Israel  in  the 
time  of  Elisha  the   prophet ;  yet  none   of  them   was 

abroad,  and  multitudes  flocked  to  him,  he  taught  in  the  open 
air,  bj  the  sea-side,  on  the  mountains,  and  even  in  desert 
places. 

The  hook  of  Isaiah. — Books  among  the  ancients  were 
written  on  strips  of  vellum,  or  parchment,  rolled  together  on 
two  rollers,  beginning  at  each  end.  Jesus  read  ft-om  Isaiah  Ixi. 
I.  2. 


8o  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

cleansed  but  Naaman  the  Syrian."  And  ail  in  the 
Synagogue,  on  hearing  this,  were  filled  with  anger, 
and  rising  up,  they  thrust  him  out  of  the  town,  and  led 
him  to  the  brow  of  the  hill  whereon  the  town  is  built, 
to  cast  him  down  headlong.  But  he,  passing  through 
the  midst  of  them,  went  his  way  down  to  Caper- 
naum, and  taught  there  on  the  Sabbath  days.     And 

The  brow  of  the  hill.  —  The  place  at  which  tradition 
locates  this  scene  is  a  rocky  precipice  about  two  miles  from 
Nazareth.  There  is,  however,  another  declivity  within  the 
town,  not  far  from  the  supposed  site  of  the  Synagogue,  down 
which  Jesus  might  have  been  "  cast  headlong." 

Capernaum.  —  This  town  afterwards  became  the  residence 
of  Jesus,  and  is  one  of  the  few  places  whose  destruction  he 
predicted  (Matt.  xi.  23.  Luke  x.  15).  The  prediction  has 
been  so  perfectly  fulfilled,  that  now  even  its  site  is  with  diffi- 
culty determined.  The  probability  is  that  it  was  at  the  north- 
western extremity  of  the  lake,  at  the  locality  now  occupied 
by  Tell  Hum  —  which  is  nothing  more  than  a  shapeless 
mass  of  ruins,  usually  deserted,  but  tenanted,  now  and  then, 
by  a  few  wandering  Bedawins.  There  are  at  this  place  evi- 
dent remains  of  a  large  town,  and  its  surroundings  accord 
with  a  description  given  by  Josephus.  The  ruins  are  piled  up 
in  wild  confusion  for  half  a  mile  along  the  shore  of  the 
lake,  and  extend  back  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  a  neighboring 
hill.  The  houses  were  built  of  basalt,  quite  black,  rudely  cut, 
and  so  compact  that  the  stones  may  yet  remain  for  thousands 
of  years.  Among  them  are  the  ruins  of  what  is  supposed  to 
have  been  a  Synagogue,  of  beautiful  marble,  with  columns, 
entablatures,  and  cornices  cut  in  the  highest  style  of  art. 
Everything  about  the  ruins  grows  luxuriantl}',  and  the  town 
must  once  have  been  the  centre  of  a  most  fertile  region. 
From  Josephus  it  is  certain  that  Capernaum  was  in  a  rich,  busy 
district,  and  on  the  western  shore  of  the  lake  —  which  in  the 
time  of  Christ,  was  one  of  the  most  prosperous  and  populous 
districts  of  Palestine.     While  Jesus  was  brought  up  at  Naza- 


PREACHES    AT    CAPERNAUM.  8 1 

they  were  astonished  at  his  teaching;  for  he  spoke 
with  power.  Now  Capernaum  is  on  the  sea  coast,  in 
the  borders  of  Zabulon  and  NephthaHm  ;  and  thus 
were  fulfilled  the  words  of  Isaiah  the  prophet,  "  The 
land  of  Zabulon,  and  the  land  of  Nephthalim,  by 
the  way  of  the  sea,  Galilee  of  the  Gentiles.  The 
people  who  sat  in  darkness  have  seen  a  great  light, 
and  to  those  in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death,  light 
is  sprung  up.* 

And  as  the  people  pressed  upon  him  to  hear  the 
word  of  God,  he  stood  by  the    lake    of  Gennesaret, 

reth,  this  was  his  "  own  city."  Here  he  frequently  taught  in 
the  Synagogue  built  by  the  Centurion,  and  here,  he  called 
Matthew,  and  performed  many  of  his  most  wonderful  works. 

Zebtclon  and  Naptkalim.  —  Two  of  the  ten  tribes. 

Galilee  of  the  Gentiles,  —  was  Upper  Galilee  —  the  region 
about  Tyre  and  Sidon,  and  was  so  called  because  principally 
occupied  by  Gentiles. 

Lake  of  Ge?inesaret.  —  Most  of  the  public  life  of  Jesus  was 
passed  on  the  borders  of  this  lake,  then  in  the  most  densely 
populated  region  of  Palestine ;  no  less  than  nine  cities  stand- 
ing on  its  very  shores.  It  is  of  oval  form,  about  thirteen 
miles  long,  and  six  broad.  The  river  Jordan  enters  at  its 
northern  end,  and  passes  out  at  the  southern.  In  fact  the  bed 
of  the  lake  is  only  a  lower  section  of  the  great  Jordan  valley. 
It  is  seven  hundred  feet  below  the  level  of  the  ocean,  and  its 
great  depression  makes  the  climate  of  its  shores  almost  tropi- 
cal. In  summer  the  heat  is  intense,  and  even  in  early  spring 
the  air  has  th^  balminess  of  Egypt.  The  water  of  the  lake 
is  sweet,  cool  and  transparent,  and  as  the  beach  is  everywhere 
pebbly,  it  has  a  beautiful  sparkling  look.  It  abounds  in  fish 
now,  as  in  ancient  times.  The  scenery  around  is  bleak  and 
picturesque ;  and  the  environs  are  rich  in  natural  beauty. 
Josephus    describes    the   region    as   in   his    time   a  perfect 

*  Luke  iv  :  16-32.     Matt,  iv  :  13-16. 


82  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

and  saw  two  boats  moored  by  the  shore  ;  but  the  fish- 
ermen had  gone  out  of  them,  and  were  washing  their 
nets.  Entering  one  of  the  boats,  which  was  Simon's, 
he  prayed  him  to  push  out  a  little  from  the  land,  and 
then  sitting  down,  he  taught  the  multitude  from  the  boat. 
When  he  had  finished  speaking,  he  said  to  Simon, 
"  Launch  out  now  into  deep  water,  and  let  down 
your  net  for  a  draught ; "  and  Simon  answered : 
"  Master,  w^e  have  toiled  all  the  night,  and  taken 
nothing ;  but  at  your  word  I  will  let  down  the  net." 
And  doing  so  they  enclosed  a  vast  number  of  fishes, 
so  that  their  nets  were  nigh  bursting,  and  they  made 
signs  to  their  partners,  in  the  other  boat  to  come  and 
help  them.  They  came,  and  filled  both  the  boats,  so 
as  almost  to  sink  them.  And  Simon  Peter  seeing  this, 
fell  down  at  the  knees  of  Jesus,  saying,  "  Depart  from 
me  ;  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  O  Lord ;"  for  he,  and  all 

paradise,  where  vines  and  all  manner  of  fruits  grew  most 
luxuriantly,  and  at  all    seasons  of  the  year. 

Txvo  boats.  —  These  were,  no  doubt,  such  small  boats  as  are 
now  used  in  fishing  on  smooth,  flat  beaches.  In  fishing  one 
end  of  the  net  is  attached  to  the  shore ;  the  fishermen  then 
row  out  and  return,  dropping  the  net  as  they  go,  and  making 
a  sort  of  semicircle  from  the  shore,  and  as  the  net  is  sunk 
with  weights  to  the  bottom,  and  floated  with  corks  at  the  top ; 
all  the  fish  in  that  compass  are  included,  and  drawn  to  the 
shore.  Josephus  says  there  were  two  hundred  and  thirty  of 
these  boats  on  the  lake,  each  manned  by  four  or  five  men. 

Taught  from  the  boat.  —  In  the  vicinity  of  Tell  Hum  —  the 
supposed  site  of  Capernaum  —  are  numerous  inlets,  where  a 
boat  could  ride  in  safety  within  a  few  feet  of  the  shore,  while 
a  multitude,  seated  on  both  sides,  around,  and  in  front  of  the 
boat,  could  hear  readily. 

Depart  from  me.  —  It  was  a  superstition  among  the  Jev^^s 


CASTS   OUT   AN   UNCLEAN   SPIRIT.  83 

that  were  with  him  were  amazed  at  the  draught  of 
fishes  they  had  taken.  And  so  too,  were  James  and 
John  tlie  sons  of  Zebedee,  who  were  partners  with 
Simon.  But  Jesus  said  to  them,  "  Fear  not:  follow 
me,  and  I  will  make  you  f.shers  of  men."  And 
having  brought  the  boat  to  land,  they  left  all,  and 
followed  him,  and  James  the  son  of  Zebedee,  and 
John  his  brother,  leaving  their  father  in  his  boat  with 
tlie  hired  servants,  also  went  after  him.* 

And  going  again  into  Capernaum,  he  entered  the 
Synagogue  on  the  Sabbath  and  taught.  And  all  were 
astonished  at  his  teaching :  for  he  spoke  as  one  hav- 
ing authority,  and  not  as  the  Scribes.  And  in  the 
Synagogue  was  a  man  possessed  by  a  foul  spirit ;  who 
cried  out  with  a  loud  voice :  "  Let  us  alone  ;  why 
dost  thou  trouble  us,  thou  Jesus  of  Nazareth?  Hast 
thou  come  to  destroy  us  ?  I  know  thee  who  thou  art, — 
the  Holy  One  of  God."  And  Jesus  rebuked  the  foul 
spirit,  saying,  "  Hold  thy  peace,  and  come  out  of  the 
man."  And  when  the  spirit  had  torn  the  man,  and 
thrown  him  in  the  midst,  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
and  came  out  of  him.  And  all  were  amazed,  so 
much  so,  that  they  said  to  one  another,  "What  is 
this  ?  what  new  teaching  is  this  ?  for  with  authority  he 
commands  even  the  foul  spirits,  and  they  obey  him." 
And  immediately  his  fame  spread  abroad  through  all 
the  region  round  about  Galilee.! 

that  he  who  had  seen  a  remarkable  manifestation  of  God, 
would  surely  die.  The  word  rendered  amazed  denotes  that 
Peter  was  not  merely  astonished,  but  struck  with  terror. 

*  Matt,  iv  :  18-22.     Mark  i:   16-20.     Luke  v  ;  i-io. 
t  Mark  i.  21-28.     Luke  iv.  31-37. 


84  LII^'E    OF  JESUS. 

As  soon  as  they  came  out  of  the  Synagogue,  he 
entered  the  house  of  Simon  and  Andrew,  with  James 
and  John.  Now  Simon's  wife's  mother  lay  sick  of 
a  fever,  and  immediately  they  told  him  of  her ;  and 
going  to  her,  he  took  her  by  the  hand,  and  lifting  her 
up,  rebuked  the  fever,  and  it  left  her  at  once,  so  that 
she  arose  and  ministered  to  them.  And  at  even  when 
the  sun  was  setting,  all  the  city  gathered  together  at 
the  door,  and  they  brought  to  him  all  who  were  dis- 
eased, and  those  who  were  possessed  with  demons, 
and  he  cast  out  the  spirits  with  a  w^ord,  forbidding 
them  to  speak,  because  they  knew  him.  But  they 
cried  out,  sa3-ing,  "  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  vSon  of 
God."  He  also  laid  his  hands  on  those  who  were  sick 
with  divers  diseases,  and  healed  them.  And  in  the 
morning,  rising  a  long  time  before  day,  he  went  out  to 
a  solitary  place,  and  there  prayed.  And  Simon  and 
others  followed,  and  when  they  found  him,  said  to 
him,  "  All  men  seek  for  you,"  and  they  prayed  him 
not  to  depart  from  them.  But  he  said  to  them,  "  I 
must  go  to  tlie  neighboring  towns,  and  preach  the 
kingdom  of  God  there  also :  for  therefore  came  I 
forth."* 

And  he  went  about  all  Galilee,  teaching  in  the  Syn- 
agogues, and  preaching  the  glad  tidings  of  the  king- 
dom, and  casting  out  demons,  and  healing  all  kinds 
of  diseases  among  the  people.  And  his  fame  spread 
throughout  all  Syria ;   and  great  multitudes  followed 

Sick  of  a  fever. — Tell  Hum  is  environed  with  marshes 
which  now  breed  fevers  of  a  very  violent  and  fatal  character. 

*  Matt.  viii.  14-17.     Mark  i.  29-39.     Luke  iv.  3S  44- 


CLEANSES   A    LEPER.  85 

him  from  Galilee,  and  Decapolis,  and  from  Jerusalem, 
and  Judea,  and  from  beyond  the  Jordan.* 

And  when  he  was  in  a  certain  city,  a  man  full  of 
leprosy,  seeing  him,  came,  and  kneeling  down  be- 
fore him,  said,  "  Lord,  if  thou  wilt,  thou  canst  make 
me  clean."  And  Jesus,  moved  with  pity,  stretched 
forth  his  hand  and  touched  him,  saying,  "  I  will :  be 
thou  clean ; "  and  as  soon  as  he  had  spoken,  the 
leprosy  left  the  man,  and  he  was  cleansed.  Sending 
him  away  immediately,  Jesus  charged  him  strictly  to 
tell  no  one,  but  to  go,  show  himself  to  a  priest,  and 
make  the   offering   which   Moses  had  directed,  for  a 

Leprosy.  —  This  is  a  troublesome,  and,  in  its  advasiced 
stages,  an  incurable  disease.  It  is  of  three  kinds,  the  white, 
black,  and  red  leprosy.  Its  first  appearance  is  in  spots  on 
the  skin,  but  it  is  deeply  seated  in  the  joints  and  bones, 
and,  when  considerably  advanced,  produces  acute  suffering. 
An  observer  describes  it  as  follows:  —  "Its  commencement 
is  imperceptible.  There  appear  only  some  few  spots  on  the 
skin.  At  first  they  are  attended  with  no  pain  or  incon- 
venience; but  no  means  whatever  will  remove  them.  The 
disease  imperceptibly  increases  for  many  years.  The  spots 
become  large,  and  spread  over  the  whole  body.  When  the 
disease  advances  the  upper  part  of  the  nose  swells,  the 
nostrils  become  enlarged,  and  the  nose  itself  soft.  Tumors 
appear  on  the  jaws ;  the  eyebrows  swell ;  the  ears  become 
thick ;  the  points  of  the  fingers,  as  also  the  feet  and  the  toes 
swell;  the  nails  become  scalj;  the  joints  and  the  hands  sepa- 
rate and  drop  off.  In  the  last  stage  of  the  disease,  the  patient 
becomes  a  hideous  spectacle,  2ind  falls  to  pieces."  Leprosy  is 
highly  contagious,  and  by  the  Jewish  law  the  leper  was  for- 
bidden to  eat  with  others,  and  obliged  to  dwell  outside  the 
towns,  apart  by  himself. 

The  offering- — here  referred  to,  was  two  doves,  one  of 
which  was  sacrificed,  the  other  allowed  to  go  free. 

*  Matt.  iv.  23-25. 


86  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

proof  to  the  people  ;  but  the  man  went  out,  and  began 
to  blaze  the  matter  abroad,  so  much  so,  that  great 
multitudes  came  to  Jesus,  to  hear  and  be  healed,  and 
he  could  no  longer  enter  openly  into  the  towns,  but 
remained  without  in  solitary  places.  There  people 
came  to  him  from  every  quarter ;  but  he  withdrew 
from  them,  and  going  into  the  desert,  prayed.* 

And  after  some  days,  he  again  entered  his  own  town, 
—Capernaum  ;  and  as  soon  as  it  was  noised  abroad  that 
he  was  in  the  house,  many  people  gathered  together,  so 
many  that  there  was  no  room  to  receive  them,  not  even 
about  the  door :  and  he  preached  the  word  to  them. 
And  as  he  was  teaching,  Pharisees  and  teachers  of 
the  law  were  sitting  by,  v/ho  had  come  from  every 
town  of  Galilee,  and  from  Judea,  and  Jerusalem  :  and 
the  power  of  the  Lord  was  present  to  heal  the  people. 
And  they  came  bringing  one  sick  of  the  palsy,  borne  of 
four ;  and  sought  means  to  take  him  in,  and  lay  him 
before  Jesus.  But  as  they  could  not  come  near  him, 
on  account  of  the  throng,  they  broke  up  the  roof 
where  he  was :    and   going   upon  the   house-top,  let 

Palsy.  —  A  paralytic  disease  of  different  degrees  of  intensity. 
In  its  worst  forms,  which  are  common  in  the  east,  the  patient 
loses  all  control  of  his  limbs,  suffers  excruciating  torture,  and 
soon  dies. 

Uncovered  the  roof.  —  Houses  at  the  east  are  built  about  a 
court,  and  with  flat  roofs,  which  are  usually  approached  by  a 
stairway  leading  up  from  the  street.  The  roof  of  these  courts 
is  supported  on  joists,  about  three  feet  apart ;  and  over  them 
is  spread  a  covering  of  short  sticks,  placed  closely  together, 
and  cemented  with  mortar.  Owing  to  the  crowd,  Jesus,  no 
doubt,  stood  in  the  court  of  the  house,  and  it,  therefore,  was 

*  Matt.  viii.  2-4.     Mark  i.  40-45.     Luke  v.  12-16. 


HEALS    THE    PARALYTIC.  8^/ 

down  the  bed  whereon  the  sick  man  lay,  through  the 
tiling,  into  the  midst  before  Jesus.  He,  seeing  their 
faith,  said  to  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  "  Son,  be  of  good 
cheer ;  your  sins  are  forgiven  you."  And  certain  of 
the  doctors  said  to  themselves,  "  This  man  blasphemes  ! 
Who  can  forgive  sins  but  God  only  ?  "  Jesus  knowing 
their  thoughts,  said  to  them,  "  Why  think  you  evil  in 
your  hearts?  Which  is  easier  to  say,  'Your  sins  are 
forgiven,'  or  to  say,  '  Arise,  and  walk.'  But  that  you 
may  know  the  Son  of  Man  has  power  on  earth  to  for- 
give sins,  (then  he  said  to  the  sick  of  the  palsy,)  Arise, 
take  up  your  bed,  and  go  to  your  own  house."  And 
the  sick  man  rose  at  once,  took  up  his  bed,  and  went 
forth  before  them  all ;  and  they  w^ere  all  amazed,  say- 
ing, "  We  have  seen  strange  things  to-day,"  and  they 
glorified  God,  who  had  given  such  power  to  men.* 

And  he  went  forth  again  by  the  sea-side,  and  great 
multitudes  resorted  to  him,  and  he  taught  them.  And 
as  he  passed  along,  he  saw  Matthew,  the  son  of  Al- 
pheus  sitting  at  the  receipt  of  custom,  and  he  said  to 
him,  "  Follow  me."  And  he  rose  up,  left  all,  and  fol- 
lowed him.f 

easy  to  uncover  the  roof,  and  let  down  the  paralytic  "  into  the 
midst  before  him." 

*Mark  ii.  1-12.     Luke  v.  17-26. 
t  Matt.  ix.  9.     Mark  ii.  13-14.     Luke  v.  27-28. 


PART     FOURTH. 

THE    SECOND    PASSOVER,  AND    SUBSEQUENT 
EVENTS. 

Time  —  One  year. 


LIFE     OF    JESUS. 


PART   FOURTH. 

AFTER  this,  there  was  a  festival  of  the  Jews  ;  and 
Jesus  went  up  to  Jerusalem.  Now  at  Jerusalem 
near  the  sheep  gate,  is  a  pool,  called  in  Hebrew 
Bethesda,  having  five  porches  ;  and  in  these  lay  a  great 

This  Festival  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  Passover. 

Sheep  Gate.  —  The  word  market  is  not  in  the  original. 
This  was  no  doubt  the  sheep  gate  mentioned  by  Nehemiah, 
(iii.  1-32,  and  xii.  39),  and  was  probably  near  the  Temple,  for 
greater  convenience  in  conveying  the  sacrifices  into  the  sacred 
building.  The  place  which  tradition  locates  as  the  pool  of 
Bethesda,  is  a  little  to  the  northeast  of  the  ancient  site  of  the 
Temple,  and  Maundrell  (1697)  describes  it  as  "about  one 
hundred  and  twenty  paces  long,  forty  broad,  and  at  least 
eight  deep ;  with  at  one  end,  the  remains  of  three  or  four 
arches  which  are  regarded  as  the  ruins  of  the  five  porches,  in 
which  lay  the  blind,  halt,  and  withered."  In  the  time  of 
Sandys  (161 1,)  the  spring  which  fed  the  pool  was  running; 
but  Maundrell  says  it  was  dry  when  he  saw  it;  and  more 
recent  travellers  describe  the  pool  as  now  destitute  of  water. 
It  is  supposed  that  the  spring,  which  formerly  filtered  through 
the  rocks,  has  become  dammed  up  by  the  ruins  and  rubbish. 
Eusebius  describes  the  pool  existing  in  his  time  as  being  in 
two  compartments ;  one  supplied  by  rains,  the  other,  by  a 
spring,  and  the  water  of  the  latter  as  of  a  reddish  hue,  owing, 
(91) 


92  LIFE   OF  JESUS. 

number  of  sick  people, — blind,  halt,  and  withered. 
And  a  certain  man  was  there  who  had  been  infirm 
thirty  and  eight  years.  Seeing  him  lying  there,  and 
knowing  that  he  had  been  a  long  time  in  that  condi- 
tion, Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Would  you  be  made  well?" 
The  infirm  man  answered,  "  Sir,  I  have  no  one  to  put 
me  into  the  pool  when  the  water  is  troubled  ;  but,  while 
I  am  going,  another  gets  down  before  me."  Jesus 
said  to  him,  "  Rise,  take  up  your  bed,  and  walk." 
And  immediately  the  man  was  made  well,  and  took  up 
his  bed,  and  walked  :  and  the  day  was  the  Sabbath. 

The  Jews,  therefore,  said  to  the  man  who  was  cured, 
"  It  is  the  Sabbath :  it  is  not  lawful  for  you  to  carry 
your  bed."  He  answered  them,  "  He  who  made  me 
well,  said  to  me,  "  Take  up  your  bed  and  walk." 
Then  they  asked,  "  Who  is  the  man  who  said  to  you, 
'  Take  up  your  bed  and  walk  ? ' "  But  he  that  was 
cured  knew  not  who  it  was  ;  for  a  throng  was  in  the 
place,  and  Jesus  had  withdrawn  himself.     Aftei-ward 

as  tradition  then  affirmed,  to  the  fact  that  the  flesh  of  sacrifices 
was  once  washed  in  it  before  offering.  The  Bourdeaux  Pil- 
grim (A.  D.,  333),  confirms  this  statement  of  Eusebius.  The 
name  Bethesda,  — which  denotes  *'  house  of  mercy,"  —  gives 
color  to  the  supposition  that  the  pool  had  medicinal  virtues ; 
but  whether  they  were  owing  to  the  mineral  qualities  of  the 
water,  or,  as  some  suppose,  to  its  impregnation  with  the  blood 
of  the  sacrificed  animals,  it  is  impossible  to  determine.  The 
clause  in  the  common  version  referring  to  an  angel  "  troub- 
ling the  water,"  is  not  in  the  oldest  MSS.  It  was  probably  a 
Jewish  superstition  which,  from  being  originally  inserted  as 
a  note  in  the  margin,  finally  crept  into  the  text  of  some  of 
the  more  recent  copies. 

//  IS  not  laxvful  to  carry  your  bed.  —  The  Jews  were  forbid- 
den to  carry  burdens  on  the  Sabbath.  See  Jer.  xxii,  21,  and 
Neh.  xiii.  15. 


THE    CURE    OF   THE     INFIRM    MAN.  93 

Jesus  found  him  in  the  temple,  and  said  to  him,  "  Lo  ! 
you  are  well :  sin  no  more,  lest  something  worse 
befall  you."  The  man  went  away  and  told  the  Jews 
that  it  was  Jesus  who  had  made  him  well.  And 
upon  tliis  the  Jews  went  in  pursuit  of  Jesus,  because 
he  had  done  thus  on  the  Sabbath.  But  Jesus  said  to 
them,  "My  Father  is  always  w^orking,  and  so  also  I 
work."  For  this  reason  tlie  Jews  were  the  more  bent 
on  killing  him,  because  he  not  only  had  broken  the 
Sabbath,  but  also  had  said  that  God  was  his  Father, 
thus  making  himself  equal  with  God.  Then  Jesus  said 
to  them  "Truly,  truly,  I  tell  you.  The  Son  can  do  noth- 
ing of  himself,  but  what  he  sees  the  Father  do ;  but 
whatever  he  does,  tlie  Son  also  does  in  like  manner. 
For  the  Father  loves  the  Son,  and  shows  him  all  that 
he  does :  and  gi'eater  works  than  these  will  he  show 
him,  that  you  may  wonder.  For  as  the  Father  raises 
the  dead,  and  gives  them  life,  so  also  the  Son  gives  life 
to  whom  he  will.  And  the  Father  condemns  no  man, 
but  has  committed  all  condemnation  to  the  Son :  that 
all  should  honor  the  Son,  even  as  they  honor  the 
Father.  He  who  honors  not  the  Son,  honors  not  the 
Father  who  sent  him. 

"  Truly,  truly,  I  tell  you.  He  who  hears  my  words, 
and  believes  him  who  sent  me,  has  eternal  life,  and 
comes  not  into  judgment ;  but  has  passed  from  death 
to  life.  Truly,  ti'uly,  I  tell  you,  the  hour  is  coming, 
and  now  is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the 
Son  of  God  ;  and  those  that  hear  it  shall  live.  For  as 
tlie  Father  has  life  in  himself,  so  has  he  given  to  the 
Son  to  have  life  in  himself;  and  he  has  given  him  au- 
thority to  pass  judgment  also,  because  he  is  a  son  of 


94  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

man.  Wonder  not  at  this ;  for  the  hour  is  coming, 
when  all  who  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice, 
and  come  forth ;  those  who  have  done  good,  to  the 
resurrection  of  life  ;  and  those  who  have  done  evil,  to 
the  resurrection  of  judgment.  Of  myself  I  can  do 
nothing :  as  I  hear,  I  judge  :  and  my  judgment  is  just ; 
because  I  seek  not  my  own  will,  but  the  will  of  him 
who  sent  me. 

^'  You  say,  '  If  I  testify  of  myself,  my  testimony  is  not 
true.'  There  is  another  who  bears  testimony  of  me  ; 
and  I  know  that  his  testimony  of  me  is  true.  You 
have  sent  to  John,  and  he  has  testified  to  the  truth. 
I  receive  not  testimony  from  man ;  but  I  say  this 
that  you  may  be  saved.  He  was  a  lamp  burning 
and  shining ;  and  for  a  time  you  were  willing  to 
rejoice  in  his  light.  But  I  have  greater  testimony 
than  John's ;  for  the  works  which  the  Father  has 
given  me  to  do,  —  these  works  that  I  am  doing,  they 
testify  that  the  Father  has  sent  me ;  and  thus  the 
Father  who  sent  me,  has  himself  borne  testimony 
of  me.  You  have  never  heard  his  voice  nor  seen 
his  form ;  and  his  word  is  not  abiding  in  you ;  for 
you  believe  not  him  vv^hom  he  has  sent.  You  search 
the  Scriptures,  because   you  think   that   in   them   you 

Because  he  is  a  son  of  man.  —  The  definite  article  is  want- 
ing in  the  original.  Paul  expresses  the  same  idea.  "For 
we  have  not  a  high  priest  who  cannot  be  touched  with  a  feel- 
ing of  our  infirmities ;  but  one  who  was  tried  in  all  points  as 
we  are,  jet  without  sin." 

Toti  say,  if  I  testify  of  myself  — The  words  "you  say"  are 
supplied.  The  context  requires  us  to  suppose  that  Jesus  is 
repeating  a  remark  of  the  Pharisees. 


i 


HIS    DISCIPLES   PLUCK   THE    EARS    OF    GRAIN.       95 

have  eternal  life, — they  are  my  witnesses,  and  yet  you 
will  not  come  to  me  to  have  life. 

I  desire  not  glory  from  men.  But  I  know  you,  that 
you  have  not  the  love  of  God  in  you.  I  have  come  in 
my  Father's  name,  and  you  receive  me  not ;  should 
another  come  in  his  own  name,  him  you  will  receive. 
How  can  you  believe,  who  desire  honor  of  one  another, 
and  seek  not  the  honor  that  comes  from  Him,  the  only 
God.  Think  not  that  I  shall  accuse  you  to  the  Father ; 
there  is  one  who  accuses  you, — Moses,  in  whom  you 
trust.  But  if  you  had  faith  in  Moses,  you  would  have 
faith  in  me  ;  for  he  wrote  of  me.  But  if  you  believe 
not  his  writings,  how  should  you  believe  my  words  ?* 

On  the  second  Sabbath  after  the  first,  Jesus  was 
passing  through  a  field  of  grain,  and  his  disciples 
being  hungry,  plucked  the  ears  of  grain  as  they  went 
along,  and  ate  them,  rubbing  them  in  their  hands. 
But  some  of  the  Pharisees  obsei-ving  this,  said  to 
him,    "  Lo !    your    disciples     are    doing    what    the 

0?t  the  second  Sabbath  after  the  first.  —  This  clause  has 
given  great  perplexity  to  commentators.  It  probably  should 
read  "The  second  Sabbath  after  the  first  day  of  unleavened 
bread."  This  was  near  the  barley  hai'vest,  when  the  ears 
would  be  ripe.  The  Jews  were  not  allowed  to  eat  on  the  Sab- 
bath before  they  had  attended  the  services  of  the  Synagogue. 
This  may  explain  the  hunger  of  the  disciples.  From  Deut. 
xxiii.  25,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Jew  was  permitted  to  pluck 
and  eat  the  standing  grain  of  his  neighbor.  Dr.  Thomson 
says  in  regard  to  this  custom,  "I  have  often  seen  my  mulet- 
eers, as  we  passed  along  the  Avheat  fields,  pluck  off  ears, 
rub  them  in  their  hands,  and  eat  them  um-oasted,  just  as  the 
disciples  are  said  to  have  done." 

*John  V.  1-47. 


96  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

Law  forbids  oh  the  Sabbath."  Jesus  answered,  "  Have 
you  not  read  what  David  did,  when  he  and  those 
with  him  were  hungry.  How  he  entered  the  house 
of  God,  in  the  time  of  Abiathar,  the  chief  priest, 
and  ate  the  shew-bread,  which  was  not  lawful  for 
him  to  do  nor  for  those  with  him,  but  only  for  the 
priests?  Or  have  you  not  read  in  the  Law  how 
on  the  Sabbath  days  the  priests  in  the  temple  break 
the  Sabbath  and  are  blameless?  Now  I  tell  you, 
that  one  greater  than  the  temple  is  here.  But  had 
you  known  what  this  means,  '  I  desire  mercy,  and  not 
sacrifices,'  you  would  not  have  condemned  the  guilt- 
less. The  Sabbath  was  made  for  man,  not  man  for  the 
Sabbath :  so  that  the  Son  of  Man  is  Lord  even  of  the 
Sabbath."* 

W/iaf  the  law  forbids  on  the  Sabbath.  —  The  Jews  were  so 
scrupulous  in  regard  to  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  that 
in  their  wars  with  Antiochus  and  the  Romans,  they  did  not 
defend  themselves  on  that  day.  This  Pompey  discovered, 
and  thus  he  took  Jerusalem.  The  Mosaic  law  says,  (Ex. 
xxxi.  14:  XXXV.  2.)  "Whoever  does  any  work  on  the  Sabbath 
shall  surely  be  put  to  death.",  "Ye  shall  kindle  no  fire 
throughout  your  buildings  on  the  Sabbath"  (Ex.  xxxv.  3.) 
In  Numbers  xv.  32-36,  a  man  is  found  gathering  sticks  on  the 
Sabbath,  "  and  the  Lord  said  to  Moses,  '  This  man  shall 
surely  be  put  to  death :  the  whole  congregation  shall  stone 
him  with  stones  without  the  camp.' "  Therefore,  in  every  one 
of  the  numerous  instances  in  which  Jesus  disregarded  this 
law,  he  hazarded  his  life. 

Abiathar  was  chief,  not  high  priest.  — When  David  ate  the 
shew-bread,  Ahimelech,  his  father,  was  high  priest,  but  he 
was  soon  after  slain  and  then  Abiathar  succeeded  to  the  office. 

/  desire  mercy  a7id  not  sacrifices.  —  See  Hosea  vi,  6. 

*Matt.  xii.  1-8.     Mark  ii.  23-28.     Luke  vi.  1-5. 


CURES  THE  WITHERED  HAND.  97 

Departing  thence,  he  went  on  another  Sabbath 
into  the  Synagogue,  and  taught ;  and  a  man  was  there 
whose  right  hand  was  withered.  Now  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees  were  watching  to  see  if  he  would  cure 
the  man  on  the  Sabbath ;  that  they  might  find  an  ac- 
cusation against  him.  And  they  asked  him,  "Is  it 
lawful  to  heal  on  the  Sabbath?"  But  he  knew 
their  thoughts,  and  said  to  the  man,  "  Rise,  and  stand 
up  in  the  midst."  And  he  arose  and  stood  up.  Then 
Jesus  said  to  them,  "  I  will  ask  you  a  question.  Is  it 
lawful  on  the  Sabbath  to  do  good,  or  to  do  evil?  to 
save  life,  or  to  destroy  it?  Vv^hat  man  among  you, 
who  owns  a  sheep,  will  not,  if  it  fall  into  a  pit  on  the 
Sabbath,  lay  hold  of  it  and  lift  it  out?  Is  not  a  man 
of  more  worth  than  a  sheep  ?  It  is  lawful,  then,  to  do 
good  on  the  Sabbath."  They  could  say  nothing,  and 
looking  round  upon  them  with  indignation,  being 
grieved  for  their  hardness  of  heart,  he  said  to  the  man, 
"  Stretch  forth  3'our  hand."  And  he  stretched  it  forth  ; 
and  it  was  restored,  sound  as  the  other.  Then  the 
Pharisees  were  filled  with  madness,  and  going  out, 
concerted  with  one  another,  and  with  the  Herodians, 

The  Synagogue.  —  From  the  definite  manner  in  which  this 
Synagogue  is  spoken  of,  it  is  supposed  that  the  one  at  Ca- 
pernaum is  referred  to.  In  the  same  definite  way  the  house  — 
probably  Peter's,  —  which  Jesus  occupied  at  Capernaum  is 
often  alluded  to. 

Withered  Ha7id.  —  Such  a  rigidity  of  the  nerves  and 
muscles  as  unfitted  the  limb  for  use,  was  what  the  Jews  un- 
derstood as  "withered." 

To  save  life  or  to  destroy  it.  —  As  the  Pharisees  were  then 
plotting  to  entrap  Jesus  into  a  breach  of  the  Sabbath,  so  as  to 
take  his  life,  there  was  peculiar  force  in  this  question. 

9 


98  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

how  to  destroy  him.*  But  Jesus  knowing  it,  with- 
drew with  his  disciples  to  the  sea ;  and  great  num- 
bers from  Galilee  and  Judea,  and  Jerusalem,  and 
Idumea,  and  beyond  the  Jordan,  and  from  about 
Tyre  and  Sidon,  hearing  what  great  works  he  had 
done,  followed  him,  and  he  healed  them  all.  And  he 
directed  his  disciples  to  have  a  small  boat  in  waiting, 
lest  the  people  should  throng  him  ;  for  he  had  healed 
many ;  so  that  all  who  were  diseased  crowded  round 
to  touch  him  ;  and  foul  spirits,  also  fell  down  before 
him,  crying  out :  "  Thou  art  the  Son  of  God."  But 
he  strictly  charged  them  not  to  make  him  known. 
And  thus  was  fulfilled  what  had  been  written  by 
Isaiah  the  prophet,  "  Behold  my  servant  whom  I  have 
chosen,  my  beloved  with  whom  I  am  well  pleased ; 
I  will  put  my  Spirit  upon  him,  and  he  will  declare 
my  law  to  the  Gentiles.  He  will  not  strive,  nor  cry 
aloud  ;  neither  will  his  voice  be  heard  in  the  streets. 
A  bruised  reed  he  will  not  break,  and  smoking  flax 
he  will  not  quench,  till  he  sends  forth  truth  to  victory. 
And  in  him  will  the  nations  trust"! 

And  going  up  into  a  mountain,  he  continued  all 
night  in  prayer  to  God.  And  when  it  was  day, 
he   called   to    him   his  disciples,   and   of  their  num- 

Ffojn  Judea,  etc.  —  The  previous  multitudes  who  had 
followed  Jesus,  had  been  Galileans,  therefore  the  people  from 
the  other  provinces  are  now  separately  mentioned. 

Smoking-  Flax.  —  The  wicks  of  lamps  were  of  flax,  and 
when  the  oil  was  well  nigh  exhausted,  the  flax  would  natur- 
ally smoke. 

*  Matt.  xii.  9-14.     Mark  iii.  1-6.     Luke  vi.  6-1 1. 
fMatt.  xii.  15,  21.     Mark  iii.  7-12. 


THE    TWELVE    APOSTLES    CALLED.  99 

ber  chose  twelve,  whom  he  also  named  Apostles, 
to  be  with  him,  and  to  go  forth  to  preach,  and 
to  have  power  to  heal  sicknesses,  and  to  cast  out 
demons. 

The  names  of  the  twelve  Apostles  were  these  :  First, 
Simon,  whom  he  called  Peter ;  then  Andrew  his 
brother ;  James  the  son  of  Zebedee,  and  John  his 
brother,  whom  he  surnamed  Boanerges,  (that  is.  The 
sons  of  thunder :)  Philip  and  Bartholomew,  Thomas 
and  Matthew,  the  tax  gatherer :  James  the  son  of  Al- 
pheus,  and  Lebbeus,  also  called  Thaddeus  ;  Simon  the 
Zealot,  and  Judas  Iscariot,  —  he  who  betrayed  him. 
And  coming  down  with  them,  he  stood  in  the  plain, 
where  were  many  of  his  disciples,  and  a  great  number 
of  people  from  all  Judea  and  Jerusalem,  and  from  the 
sea-coast  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  who  had  come  to  hear 
him,  and  to  be  healed  of  their  diseases  and  of  foul 
spirits  ;  and  the  whole  multitude  sought  to  touch  him, 
for  power  went  out  of  him,  and  cured  them  all.* 

Seeing  the  multitude,  he  went  up  on  the  mountain 

The  Zealots^  were  a  class  of  fanatics  who  took  upon  them- 
selves to  enforce  a  rigid  observance  of  the  ceremonial  law. 

The  Alountain. — The  definite  article  is  again  used  in  the 
original  in  referring  to  this  mountain,  which  must  have  been 
an  eminence  near  Capernaum.  Maundrell  says  that  "  a  few 
points  to  the  north  (of  Mount  Tabor)  appears  what  is  called 
the  Mount  of  the  Beatitudes,  —  a  small  rising,  from  which  our 
blessed  Lord  delivered  his  sermon  in  v.  vi.  vii.  chapters  of 
Matthew.  Not  far  from  this  little  hill,  is  the  city  Saphat, 
supposed  to  be  the  ancient  Bethulia.  It  stands  upon  a  very 
eminent  and  commanding  mountain,  glistening  with  a  noble 

*Matt.  X.  2-4.     Mark  iii.  13-19.     Luke  vi.  12-19. 


lOO  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

and   sat  down  ;  and  his  disciples   cominsj  to  him,  he 
taught  them,  saying : 

Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is  the  king- 
dom of  heaven. 

Blessed  are  those  that  mourn,  for  the*/  will  be  com- 
forted. 

Blessed  are  the  meek,  for  they  will  inherit  the  land. 

Blessed  are  those  who  hunger  and  thirst  for  righte- 
ousness, for  they  will  be  filled. 

Blessed  are  the  merciful,  for  they  will  receive  mercy. 

Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart,  for  they  will  see  God. 

Blessed  are  the  peace-makers,  for  they  will  be 
the  children  of  God. 

Blessed  are  they  who  are  persecuted  for  righteous- 
ness' sake,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Blessed  are  you  when  men  revile  you,  and  perse- 
cute you,  and  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you, 
falsely,  for  my  sake.  Rejoice,  and  leap  for  joy,  for 
great  is  your  reward  in  heaven  :  So  their  fathers  per- 
secuted the  prophets  who  were  before  you. 

But  alas  for  you  who  are  rich  !  for  you  have  your 
consolation. 

Alas  for   you  who  are  full !  for   you  will  hunger. 

Alas  for  you  who  laugh  now !  for  you  will  mourn 
and  weep. 

Alas  for  you,  when  all  men  speak  well  of  you  !  for 
so  their  fathers  did  of  the  false  prophets. 

You  are  the  salt  of  the  earth ;  but  if  the  salt  lose  its 

castle,  and  is  seen  far  and  near,  —  seeming  to  command  the 
whole  country  round  to  a  great  distance. "  To  this  city  Jesus 
is  supposed  to  have  pointed,  when  he  referred  to  the  city  set 
on  a  hill. 

The  Salt  of  Palestine  is  obtained  from  marshes  along  the 


THE   SERMON   ON   THE   MOUNT.  lOI 

savor,  with  what  shall  it  be  salted  ?  It  is  then  good  for 
nothing; but  is  cast  out,  and  trodden  under  foot  of 
men. 

You  are  the  light  of  the  world.  A  city  set  on  a  hill 
cannot  be  hid.  Nor  do  men  light  a  lamp  to  put  it 
under  a  bushel,  but  on  a  stand  ;  that  it  may  give  light 
to  all  in  the  house.  So  let  your  light  shine  before 
men  ;  that  they  may  see  your  good  deeds,  and  glorify 
your  Father  in  heaven. 

Think  not  that  I  have  come  to  annul  the  Law,  or  the 

sea  shore,  or  from  salt  lakes  in  the  interior,  which  dry  up  in 
summer.  By  the  evaporation  of  the  water  the  marshes  are 
left  covered  with  a  thick  crust  of  saline  material,  which  is 
afterwards  gathered  into  heaps,  like  hay-cocks  in  a  meadow. 
Dr.  Thomson  relates  that  he  found  the  large  winter  lake, 
southeast  of  Aleppo,  dried  up  in  the  end  of  August,  and  the 
entire  basin,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  as  white  as  snow, 
from  an  incrustation  of  course  salt.  Maundrell  says,  that  he 
found  at  Jebbul,  salt  which  had  entirely  "  lost  its  savor,"  and 
Dr.  Thomson  found  the  same  in  localities  at  the  south  end  of 
the  Dead  Sea.  He  says,  "  it  is  a  well  known  fact  that  the  salt 
of  this  country,  (Palestine),  when  in  contuct  with  the  ground, 
or  exposed.to  rain  and  sun,  does  become  insipid  and  useless. 
From  the  manner  in  which  it  is  gathered,  much  earth  and 
other  impurities  are  necessarily  collected  with  it.  Not  a  little 
of  it  is  so  impure  that  it  cannot  be  used  at  all,  and  such  salt 
soon  effloresces,  and  turns  to  dust,  —  not  to  fruitful  soil,  how- 
ever. It  is  not  only  good  for  nothing  itself,  but  it  actually 
destroys  all  fertility  wherever  it  is  thrown ;  and  this  is  the 
reason  why  it  is  cast  into  the  street.  There  is  no  place 
about  the  house,  yard  or  garden,  where  it  can  be  tolerated. 
No  man  will  allow  it  in  his  field,  and  the  only  place  for  it  is 
the  street;  and  there  it  is  cast  to  be  trodden  under  foot  of 
men." 

JLatnj).  — Candles  were  not  at  this  time  used  in  Judea.  The 
word  in  the  common  version  is  an  incorrect  rendering. 
9* 


I02  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

Prophets :  I  have  not  come  to  annul,  but  to  complete. 
For  truly  I  say  to  you,  till  heaven  and  earth  pass  away, 
not  one  jot  or  one  tittle  will  pass  away  from  the  Law ; 
not  till  all  things  are  accomplished.  Whoever,  there- 
fore, shall  break  one  of  the  least  of  these  command- 
ments, and  teach  men  so,  will  be  the  least  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven ;  but  whoever  shall  do  and  teach 
them,  will  be  great  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  For  I 
tell  you.  Unless  your  righteousness  exceed  that  of 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  you  will  by  no  means  enter 
the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

You  have  heard  that  it  was  said  to  them  of  old, 
"  Thou  shalt  do  no  murder,  and  whosoever  commits 
murder  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  Judges."  But  I  say 
to  you,  whoever  is  angry  wath  his  brother,  without 
cause,  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  Judges  ;  and  whoever 
shall  say  to  his  brother,  "  Raca,"  shall  be  in  danger  of 
the  Sanhedrim  ;  but  whoever  shall  say  to  his  brother, 
"  Thou  fool,"  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  Gehenna  of  fire. 

Therefore,  if  you  bring  your  gift  to  the  altar,  and 

The  Judges.  —  Every  city  had  its  elders,  who  formed  a 
court  with  power  to  determine  minor  matters.  There  were 
three  of  these  elders,  called  judges,  in  the  smaller  cities,  and 
twenty-three  in  the  larger.  The  next  higher  body  was  the 
Sanhedrim,  which  acted  on  capital  offences. 

The  Gehenna  of  Fire.  —  This  refers  to  the  Valley  of 
Hinnom,  a  narrow  ravine  with  steep  and  rocky  sides,  —  near 
Jerusalem,  on  the  south.  In  this  valley  the  idolatrous 
Jews  formerly  conducted  the  worship  to  Moloch.  Here  in- 
fants were  sacrificed,  by  being  put  into  the  arms  of  the  idol  — 
a  brass  image,  heated  by  a  great  fire  built  within.  No  death 
could  be  more  horrible,  and  no  figure  could  more  terribly  ex- 
press the  torture  enkindled  in  his  own  breast  by  the  persistent 
and  hardened  violator  of  the  laws  of  his  being. 


THE    SERMON    ON    THE    MOUNT.  I03 

there  remember  that  your  brother  has  aught  against 
you,  leave  your  gift  there  before  the  altar,  and  go 
away ;  first  be  reconciled  to  your  brother,  and  then 
come  and  offer  your  gift.  Agree  widi  your  accuser 
quickly,  while  you  are  on  the  way  with  him,  lest  he 
bring  you  before  the  judge,  and  the  judge  deliver 
you  to  the  officer,  and  you  be  cast  into  prison.  Truly 
I  tell  you,  you  will  not  come  out  thence,  till  you  have 
paid  the  last  farthing. 

You  have  heard  that  it  was  said  :  "  Thou  shalt  not 
commit  adultery."  But  I  say  to  you,  whoever  looks 
on  a  woman  to  lust  after  her,  has  already  committed 
adultery  with  her  in  his  heart.  And  if  your  right  eye 
lead  you  into  sin,  pluck  it  out  and  cast  it  from  you  ; 
for  it  is  better  for  you  that  one  of  your  members  should 
perish,  than  that  your  whole  body  should  be  cast  into 
hell.  And  if  your  right  hand  lead  you  into  sin,  cut  it 
off  and  cast  it  from  you  ;  for  it  is  better  for  you  that 
one  of  your  members  should  perish,  than  that  your 
whole  body  should  be  cast  into  hell. 

It  has  been  said  :  "  Let  him  who  would  put  away  his 
wife  give  her  a  writing  of  divorcement."     But  I  say  to 

A  ivriting  of  Divorcement.  —  The  Jews  inferred  from  the 
Levitical  law  that  a  man  might  divorce  his  wife  for  any  cause 
whatever.  Their  Rabbis  said:  "If  a  man  sees  a  woman  he 
loves  better  than  his  wife,  let  him  divorce  his  wife,  and  marry 
her."  The  school  of  Hillel  taught,  that  "  If  the  wife  cook  her 
husband's  food  ill,  by  over  salting  or  over  roasting  it,  she  is 
to  be  put  away,"  also  "If  the  wife  by  any  stroke  of  God,  be- 
come dumb,  or  foolish."  Josephus  relates  of  himself,  that 
"  about  that  time,  I  divorced  my  wife,  who  had  borne  me 
three  children,  not  being  pleased  with  her  manners."  Chris- 
tianity alone  has  created  domestic  life,  and  made  the  union 


I04  LIFE   OF  JESUS. 

you,  whoever  puts  away  his  wife  except  for  adultery, 
causes  her  to  commit  adultery ;  and  whoever  marries 
her  who  is  put  away,  commits  adultery. 

Again,  you  have  heard  that  it  was  said  to  them  of 
old,  "  Thou  shalt  not  forswear  thyself,  but  shalt  per- 
form thine  oaths  to  the  Lord."  But  I  say  to  you, 
Swear  not  at  all ;  not  by  heaven,  for  it  is  God's 
throne  ;  nor  by  the  earth,  for  it  is  his  footstool ;  neither 
by  Jerusalem,  for  it  is  the  city  of  the  great  King ; 
neither  swear  by  your  head,  for  you  cannot  make 
one  hair  white  or  black.  But  let  your  manner  of 
speech  be  Yea,  yea  ;  Nay,  nay  ;  for  what  is  more  than 
these,  comes  of  evil. 

You  have  heard  that  it  was  said,  "An  eye  for  an 
eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth."  But  I  say  to  you.  Re- 
sist not  the  evil-doer  ;  but  whoever  shall  smite  you  on 
the  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also.  And  if 
any  man  would  sue  you  at  law  to  take  away  your 
coat,  let  him  have  your  cloak  also ;  and  should  one 

of  the  sexes  a  sacred  bond  dissolvable  only  by  death  or 
crime. 

Swear  not  at  all.  — All  eastern  nations  are  fearfully  pro- 
fane. Dr.  Thomson  says,  speaking  of  the  present  people  of 
Palestine,  "  everybody  curses  and  swears  when  in  a  passion. 
No  people  that  I  have  ever  known  can  compare  with  the 
Orientals  for  profanity.  The  evil  habit  seems  inveterate  and 
universal.  When  Peter,  therefore,  began  to  curse  and  to 
swear  on  that  dismal  night  of  temptation,  we  are  not  to  sup- 
pose that  it  was  something  foreign  to  his  former  habits," 

Coat.  —  This  was  the  tunic,  a  garment  usually  of  linen, 
made  to  fit  closely  to  the  body,  with  short  sleeves,  and  ex- 
tending below  the  knees.  Over  it  was  worn  the  cloak,  a 
square  garment,  wrapped  loosely  about  the  person,  and  laid 
aside  when  labor  was  performed.     Of  the  former  kind   was 


THE    SERMON    ON    THE     MOUNT.  IO5 

compel  you  to  go  one  mile,  go  with  him  two.  Give 
to  him  who  asks  of  you,  and  from  him  who  would  bor- 
row of  you,  turn  not  away. 

You  have  heard  that  it  was  said,  "  Thou  shalt  love 
thy  neighbor,  and  hate  thine  enemy : "  But  I  say  to 
you.  Love  your  enemies,  bless  those  who  curse  you, 
do  good  to  those' who  hate  you,  and  pray  for  those  who 
despitefully  use  you  and  persecute  you :  that  you 
may  be  children  of  your  Father  in  heaven  ;  for  he 
makes  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and 
sends  his  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust. 

For  if  you  love  those  who  love  you,  what  praise  do 
you  deserve?  Do  not  even  the  Gentiles  the  same? 
And  if  you  salute  your  brethren  only,  what  do  you 
more  than  others?  do  not  even  the  tax-gatherers  so? 
And  if  you  do  good  to  those  who  do  good  to  you,  what 
praise  do  you  deserve?  sinners  do  even  the  same. 
And  if  you  lend  to  those  of  whom  you  hope  to  re- 
ceive, what  praise  do  you  deserve?  sinners  also  lend 
to  sinners,  to  receive  as  much  in  return.  But  do  good, 
and  lend,  hoping  for  nothing  in  return  ;  and  your  re- 
ward will  be  great,  and  you  will  be  children  of  the 
Highest :  for  he  is  kind  to  the  unthankful  and  to  the 
evil.  Be  you,  then,  perfect,  even  as  your  Father  in 
heaven  is  perfect. 

the  vesture  without  seam,  woven  throughout,  for  which  lots 
were  cast.     (John  xix.  23). 

Should  07ie  conij)el  you  to  go  one  mile.  —  It  was  a  custom, 
introduced  by  the  Persians  and  adopted  by  the  Romans,  to 
transmit  intelligence  bj  couriers,  placed  at  regular  distances. 
These  couriers  were  authorized  to  impress  horses  or  men 
for  the  public  service,  while  on  their  journeys.  The  practice 
is  still  followed  by  the  Turks,  and  resistance  is  punishable 
with  death. 


I06  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

Take  heed  that  you  do  not  your  good  deeds  to  be 
seen  by  men  ;  otherwise  you  have  no  reward  of  your 
Father  in  heaven.  Therefore,  when  3^ou  give  ahns, 
do  not  sound  a  trumpet  before  you,  as  the  hypocrites 
do,  in  the  vSynagogues,  and  in  the  streets,  that  men 
may  give  them  honor.  Truly,  I  say  to  you,  they  have 
their  reward.  But  when  you  give  ahns,  let  not  your 
left  hand  know  what  your  right  hand  is  doing ;  and 
your  alms  being  in  secret,  your  Father  who  sees  in 
secret  will  reward  you  openly.  And  when  you  pray 
be  not  like  the  hypocrites,  who  are  wont  to  pray  stand- 
ing in  the  Synagogues,  and  in  the  corners  of  the 
streets,  to  be  seen  by  men.  Truly,  I  say  to  you,  they 
have  their  reward.  But  do  you,  vv^hen  you  pray,  enter 
your  closet,  and  having  shut  your  door,  pray  to  your 
Father  who  is  in  secret ;  and  your  Father  who  sees  in 
secret,  will  reward  you  openly. 

And  when  you  pray,  use  not  idle  repetitions,  as  the 
heathen  do ;  for  they  think  they  shall  be  heard  for 
their  many  words.     Be  not  you,  then,  like  them  ;  for 

IV/io  fray  standing  on  the  corners  of  the  streets.  —  The 
Mahommedans  of  Palestine,  when  overtaken  by  the  hour 
of  prayer,  suspend  their  employments  and  pray,  even  in  the 
most  public  places.  Spreading  their  outer  garments  on  the 
ground,  and  turning  their  faces  towards  Mecca,  they  go 
through  certain  gestures,  and  forms  of  prayer,  and  then  re- 
sume their  previous  employments,  as  if  nothing  had  hap- 
pened. 

Idle  repetitions. — The  Jewish  Rabbis  taught  that,  "Who- 
ever multiplies  prayer  is  heard,"  "  Whoever  prolongs  prayer, 
his  prayer  does  not  return  to  him  empty,  and  he  that  is  long 
in  prayer,  his  days  shall  be  pi'olonged."  The  Moslems  are 
required  to  repeat  some  expressions  thirty  times,  and  others, 
as  often  as  a  hundred. 


THE    SERMON    ON    THE    MOUNT.  I07 

your  Father  knows  what  you  need  before  you  ask 
him.  Do  you,  then,  pray  in  this  manner.  Our  Father 
who  art  in  heaven,  hallowed  be  thy  name.  Thy 
kingdom  come.  Thy  will  be  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  in 
heaven.  Give  us  this  day  our  needful  bread.  For- 
give us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive  our  debtors.  And 
bring  us  not  into  trial,  but  deliver  us  from  evil. 

For  if  you  forgive  men  their  offences,  your  heavenly 
Father  will  also  forgive  you :  But  if  you  forgive  not 
men  their  offences,  your  Father  will  not  forgive  your 
ofiences. 

Moreover,  when  you  fast,  be  not  like  the  hypocrites, 
of  a  sad  countenance ;  for  they  disfigure  their  faces, 
that  they  may  appear  to  men  to  fast.  Truly,  I  say  to 
you,  They  have  their  reward.  But  when  you  fast, 
anoint  your  head,  and  wash  your  face  ;  that  you  may 
not  appear  to  men  to  fast,  but  to  your  Father  who  is 
in  secret ;  and  your  Father  who  sees  in  secret  will 
reward  you  openly. 

Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  on  earth,  where 
moths  and  worms  consume,  and  where  thieves  break 
through  and  steal.  But  lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures 
in  heaven,  where  neither  moths  nor  worms  consume, 
and  where  thieves  do  not  break  through  nor  steal.  For 
where  your  treasure  is,  there  your  heart  will  be  also. 

The  light  of  the  body  is  the  eye  ;  therefore  if  your 
eye  be  clear  your  whole  body  will  be  full  of  light ; 

Anoint  your  head.  —  The  richer  class  of  Jews  anointed 
their  bodies  daily  with  sweet  or  olive  oil.  The  custom  still 
exists  among  eastern  nations.  It  preserves  the  skin  soft,  and 
in  hot  climates  conduces  greatly  to  health. 

Worms.  —  An  insect  is  here  referred  to  which  destroys 
wheat  and  other  grains. 


Io8  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

but  if  your  eye  be  evil  your  whole  body  will  be  full 
of  darkness.  If,  then,  the  light  within  you  be  dark, 
how  great  is  your  darkness  ! 

No  man  can  serve  two  masters ;  for  he  will  hate 
one  and  love  the  other ;  or  he  will  adhere  to  one, 
and  neglect  the  other.  You  cannot  serve  God  and 
Mammon. 

For  this  reason  I  say  to  you ;  Be  not  anxious 
about  your  life,  what  you  shall  eat,  or  what  you  shall 
drink  ;  nor  yet  for  your  body,  what  you  shall  put  on. 
Is  not  life  a  greater  gift  than  food,  and  the  body  than 
raiment?  Behold  the  birds  of  the  air,  they  neither 
sow  nor  reap,  nor  gather  into  barns  ;  yet  your  heavenly 
Father  feeds  them.  Are  you  not  of  more  value  than 
they  ?  And  who  of  you  by  being  anxious  can  add  one 
cubit  to  his  stature  ? 

And  why  are  you  anxious  about  raiment?  Con- 
sider the  lilies  of  the  field,  how  they  grow.  They 
toil  not,  neither  do  they  spin ;  and  yet  I  tell  you, 
that  even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed 
like  one  of  these.  And  if  God  so  clothes  the  grass 
of  the  field,  which  to-day  is,  and  to-morrow  is  cast 
into  the  oven,  will  he  not  much  more  clothe  you, 
O  ye  of  little  faith  ?     Be  not  anxious,  therefore,  say- 

Lilies.  —  A  flower  called  the  Huleh  lily  grows  luxuriantly 
among  the  hills  of  Nazareth,  and  on  the  borders  of  the  Lake 
of  Galilee.  Dr.  Thomson  describes  it  as  being  very  large,  its 
three  inner  petals  meeting  above  and  forming  a  gorgeous 
canopy,  such  as  art  never  approached,  or  King  sat  under.  It 
is  of  a  downy  softness,  the  corolla  white,  but  every  petal 
marked  with  a  single  streak  of  bright  purple  down  the  middle. 
The  gazelles  feed  upon  it,  and  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  fuel,  it 
is,  with  the  myrtle,  rosemary,  and  cinnamon  grasses,  gathered 
and  used  in  heating  ovens. 


THE     SERMON    ON     THE    MOUNT.  IO9 

ing,  What  shall  we  eat,  or  what  shall  we  drink, 
or  with  what  shall  we  be  clothed  ?  —  all  which 
things  the  Gentiles  seek; — for  your  heavenly  Father 
knows  that  you  have  need  of  them  all ;  but  seek  you 
first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his  righteousness,  and 
all  these  things  will  be  given  you  in  addition.  There- 
fore, be  not  anxious  about  the  morrow ;  let  the  mor- 
row care  for  itself.  Enough  for  each  day  is  its  own 
evil. 

Judge  not,  and  you  will  not  be  judged  ;  condemn 
not,  and  you  will  not  be  condemned  ;  forgive,  and  you 
will  be  forgiven.  Give,  and  it  will  be  given  to  you  ; 
good  measure,  pressed  down,  shaken  together,  and 
running  over,  will  men  give  into  your  bosom  ;  for 
the  same  measure  that  you  deal  will  be  dealt  to  you 
again. 

Why  behold  you  the  mote  which  is  in  your  brother's 
eye,  and  perceive  not  the  beam  that  is  in  your  own 
eye?  Or  how  can  you  say  to  your  brother.  Brother, 
let  me  pull  out  the  mote  that  is  in  your  eye,  when  you 
perceive  not  the  beam  that  is  in  your  own  eye? 
Hypocrite  !  first  cast  the  beam  out  of  your  own  eye, 
and  then  you  will  see  clearly  to  j^ull  the  mote  out  of 
your  brother's  eye. 

Give  not  what  is  holy  to  dogs,  nor  cast  your 
pearls  before  swine,  lest  the  swine  trample  them  under 
foot,  and  the  dogs  turn  and  rend  you. 

Ask,  and  it  will  be  given  you  ;  seek,  and  you  will 
find  ;  knock,  and  the  door  will  be  opened  to  you.  For 
every  one  that  asks  receives  ;  and  he  that  seeks,  finds  ; 
and  to  him  that  knocks,  the  door  will  be  opened. 
Who  among  you,  if  his  son  ask  for  bread,  will 
10 


no  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

give  him  a  stone?  Or  if  he  ask  for  a  fish,  will  give 
him  a  serpent?  If  you,  then,  though  evil,  give  good 
gifts  to  your  children,  how  much  more  will  your 
Father  in  heaven  give  good  gifts  to  those  that  ask  him  ? 
Do,  then,  to  others  whatever  you  would  that  they 
should  do  to  you ;  for  this  is  the  Law  and  tlie 
Prophets. 

Enter  you  in  at  the  strait  gate ;  for  wide  is  the 
gate,  and  broad  is  the  way,  that  leads  to  destruction, 
and  many  go  in  thereat ;  because  strait  is  the  gate, 
and  narrow  the  way,  that  leads  to  life,  —  and  few 
there  are  that  find  it. 

Beware  of  false  teachers,  w^io  come  to  you  in  sheep's 
clothing,  but  inwardly  are  ravening  wolves.  You  may 
know  them  by  their  fruits.  Do  men  gather  gra^oes  of 
thorns,  or  figs  of  thistles?  Every  good  tree  brings 
forth  good  fruit ;  and  every  evil  tree  brings  forth 
evil  fruit.  A  good  tree  cannot  bring  forth  evil  fruit, 
nor  can  an  evil  tree  bring  forth  good  fruit.  So,  then, 
by  their  fruits  you  may  know  them.  Every  tree  that 
brings  not  forth  good  fruit  will  be  cut  down,  and  cast 
into  the  fire. 

Not  every  one  who  says  to  me,   Lord,  Lord,  will 

The  Wide  a?id  Strait  Gates.  —  Nearlj'  every  town  in 
Syria  and  Palestine  is  surrounded  with  walls,  and  entered  by 
gates.  The  principal  ones  are  wide,  two-leaved,  plated  with 
iron,  closed  with  locks,  and  fastened  with  metal  bars.  The 
gateway  is  vaulted,  shady,  and  cool,  and  so,  is  a  favorite  re- 
sort in  the  heat  of  the  day.  Dr.  Thomson  says,  "  I  have 
seen  the  strait  and  narrow  ways,  'with  here  and  there  a 
traveller.'  They  are  in  retired  corners,  and  must  be  sought 
for.  They  are  opened  only  to  those  who  knock,  and  when 
the  sun  goes  down,  and  the  night  comes  on,  are  shut  and 
locked." 


THE  CENTURION  S  SERVANT  CURED.      1 1 1 

enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  but  he  who  does  the 
will  of  my  Father  who  is  in  heaven.  Many  will  say 
to  me  in  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  taught 
to  thy  name  ?  and  in  thy  name  cast  out  demons  ?  and 
in  thy  name  done  many  wonderful  works  ?  Yet  shall 
I  then  declare  to  them,  I  never  knew  you  ;  depart  from 
me,  ye  who  do  iniquity. 

Whoever,  then,  hears  these  words  of  mine  and 
does  them,  I  will  liken  to  a  wise  man,  who  built 
a  house,  and  dug  deep,  and  set  the  foundation  on  a 
rock  ;  and  the  rain  descended,  and  the  flood  arose,  and 
the  winds  blew,  and  beat  vehemently  on  that  house  ; 
and  it  fell  not ;  for  it  was  founded  on  a  rock.  And 
whoever  hears  these  words  of  mine,  and  does  them 
not,  will  be  like  a  foolish  man,  who  built  his  house 
upon  the  sand.  And  the  rain  descended,  and  the 
flood  arose,  and  the  winds  blew,  and  beat  upon  that 
house  ;  and  it  fell ;  and  great  was  its  fall. 

And  when  Jesus  had  ended  this  discourse,  the 
people  were  astonished  at  his  teaching  ;  for  he  taught 
as  one  liaving  authority,  and  not  as  the  teachers  of  the 
Law.* 

And  when  he  came  down  from  the  mountain,  gi-eat 
multitudes  followed  him,  and  he  entered  Capernaum. 
And  a  certain  centurion's  servant,  whom  he  held  dear, 
was  sick  of  the  palsy,  near  to  death.     And  hearing 

Centurioji.  — The  captain  of  a  hundred  men  in  the  Roman 
army.  He  was  generally  from  the  better  class  of  citizens, 
and  often  a  man  of  fortune.  INIatthew  describes  the  Centu- 
rion as  coming  to  Jesus  in  person,  and  this  he  may  have  done 
after  the  elders  had  preferred  their  request. 

*  Matt.  vi.  viii.  I.     Luke  vi.  20-49. 


112  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

of  Jesus,  he  sent  to  him  the  elders  of  the  Jews,  to  beg 
that  he  would  come  and  cure  liis  servant.  And  com- 
ing to  Jesus,  they  besought  him  earnestly,  saying, 
"  He  is  worthy  that  you  should  do  this  for  him  ;  for  he 
loves  our  nation,  and  it  w^as  he  who  built  our  syna- 
gogue." Jesus  answered :  "I  will  come  and  cure 
him,"  and  he  went  wdth  them.  But  wdien  he  was  not 
far  from  the  house,  the  centurion  sent  friends  to  him, 
to  say,  "Lord,  trouble  not  yourself;  for  I  am  not 
worthy  that  you  should  come  under  my  roof ;  nor  do  I 
myself  think  worthy  to  come  to  you  ;  but  only  speak  a 
word,  and  my  servant  will  be  cured.  For  even  I,  who 
am  a  man  under  command,  have  soldiers  under  me, 
and  I  say  to  one.  Go,  and  he  goes ;  and  to  another. 
Come,  and  he  comes ;  and  to  my  sei-vant.  Do  this,  and 
he  does  it."  When  Jesus  heard  this,  he  wondered  at 
him,  and  turning  round,  he  said  to  the  people  that 
followed,  "  Truly,  I  have  not  found  such  faith  in  Israel ; 
and  I  tell  you,  that  many  will  come  from  the  east  and 
the  west,  and  will  recline  at  table  with  Abraham, 
and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  but 
the  children  of  the  kingdom  will  be  cast  forth  into  the 
outer  darkness,  wdiere  will  be  weeping  and  gnashing 
of  teeth."  And  Jesus  said  to  those  who  were  sent ; 
"  Go  your  way,  as  he  has  believed,  so  be  it  done  to 
him."  And  returning  they  found  the  sen^ant  had  been 
cured  in  the  same  hour.* 

Many  -will  come  from  the  East  and  the  West.  — This  decla- 
ration was  addressed  to  Jews  who  considered  it  contamina- 
tion to  eat  with  Gentiles. 

*  Matt.  viii.  5-13.     Luke  vii.  i-io. 


i 


THE    RAISIJ»fG    OF   THE     WIDOWS    SON.  II3 

And  the  day  after,  he  went  to  a  town  called  Nain  ; 
and  numbers  of  his  disciples  and  many  people  went 
with  him.  And  when  he  was  near  the  gate  of  the 
town,  a  dead  man  was  borne  out,  the  only  son  of  his 
mother,  and  she  was  a  widow ;  and  many  people  of 
the  town  were  with  her.  And  when  the  Lord  saw 
her  he  took  pity  on  her,  and  said  to  her,  "  Weep  not." 
And  he  went  up  and  touched  the  bier  ;  and  the  bearers 
stood  still ;  and  he  said,  "  Young  man,  I  say  to  thee. 
Rise."  And  the  dead  man  sat  up,  and  began  to  speak  ; 
and  he  gave  him  to  his  mother.  Then  all  were  struck 
with  awe,  and  gave  glory  to  God,  saying,  "  A  great 
prophet  has  risen  up  among  us ;  "  and,  "  God  has 
visited  his  people." 

And  the  report  of  this  spread  through  all  Judea, 
and  all  the  region  round  about.*     And  the  disciples 

Nain  —  This  town  was  about  sixteen  miles  southwest  from 
Capernaum,  and  near  Mount  Tabor,  the  brook  Kishon,  run- 
ning between  it  and  the  foot  of  the  mountain.  It  was  once  a 
place  of  considerable  extent,  but  is  now  scarcely  more  than 
a  cluster  of  ruins,  tenanted  only  by  a  few  Mohammedans. 
Its  only  antiquities  are  tombs,  and  a  rock  to  the  west  of  the 
village  is  full  of  them.  The  tov/n  is  approached  by  a  narrow 
road  which  rises  abruptly  from  the  plain  of  Esdraelon,  and  it 
was  while  coming  up  this  way  that  Jesus  met  the  widow  and 
her  son. 

Bor7ie  Out.  — All  Jews,  but  those  of  the  family  of  David, 
were  buried  outside  the  walls  of  towns.  The  bodies  of 
persons  above  three  years  of  age,  were  borne  out  on  beds  or 
biers,  and  long  processions  followed ;  the  women  leading 
the  way  and  chanting  a  mournful  dirge,  and  the  rest  lament- 
ing and  beating  their  breasts.  So  great  respect  was  shown 
to  the  dead,  that  when  one  of  even  the  common  people  was 
buried,  all  work  was  suspended. 

Luke   vii  :    11-17. 


114  ^^^^    ^^'  JESUS. 

of  John  told  him,  while  he  was  in  prison,  of  all 
these  things,  and  he  sent  two  of  them  to  Jesus  to  ask, 
"  Art  thou  he  who  was  to  come?  or  must  we 
loolc  for  another  ?  "  And  the  men  came  to  Jesus  and 
said,  "John,  the  Baptist,  has  sent  us  to  3^ou,  to  ask.  Art 
thou  he  who  was  to  come?  or  must  we  look  for  an- 
other?" Jesus  immediately  cured  many  of  diseases  and 
plagues,  and  of  evil  spirits  ;  and  gave  sight  to  many 
who  vv^ere  blind,  and  then  he  answered,  "Go,  and  tell 
John  what  you  have  seen  and  heard  ;  how  the  blind 
see,  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  the  deaf 
hear,  the  dead  are  raised  up,  and  the  poor  hear  the 
glad  tidings  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  —  and  that 
happy  is  he,  who  shall  not  be  offended  with  me." 

And  when  the  messengers  of  John  had  departed, 
he  said  to  the  people  concerning  John,  "  What  went 
you  out  to  the  desert  to  see  ?  A  reed  shaken  by  the 
wind  ?  Nay,  then  Vv  hat  went  you  out  to  see  ?  A  man 
clothed  in  fine  raiment?  Lo !  those  who  wear  fine 
raiment,  and  live  in  luxury  are  in  kings'  houses.  But 
what  went  you  out  to  see?  A  prophet?  Yea,  I  say 
to  you,  and  more  than  a  prophet ;  for  this  is  he,  of 
whom  it  is  written,  '  Lo  !  I  send  my  messenger  before 
thy  face,  to  prepare  the  way  before  thee.'  Among 
those  that  are  born  of  women  a  greater  has  not  risen 
than  John  the  Baptist ;  and  yet  the  humblest  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  greater  than  he.  And  from  the 
days  of  John  the  Baptist,  until  now,  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  suffers  violence,  and  the  violent  take  it  by 
force.  For  all  the  prophets  and  the  Law  prophesied 
until  the  time  of  John  ;  and,  if  you  will  receive  it,  he 
is  the  Elijah  who  was  to  come.  He  that  has  ears  to 
hear,  let  him  hear. 


TESTIMONY    TO    JOHN.  II5 

But  to  what  shall  I  liken  this  generation  ?  It  is  like 
children  pla}'ing  in  the  market-places,  and  calling  to 
one  another,  '  We  have  piped  to  you,  and  you  have 
not  danced  ;  we  have  wailed  to  you,  and  you  have  not 
lamented.'  For  John  came  neither  eating  bread  nor 
drinking  wine,  and  they  say,  '  He  has  a  demon.'  The 
Son  of  man  has  come  eating  and  drinking,  and  they 
say,  '  Lo  !  a  gluttonous  man  and  a  wine-bibber,  a  friend 
of  tax-gatherers  and  sinners.'  Yet  Wisdom  is  honored 
by  her  children."  *  And  all  the  people  that  heard 
him,  and  the  publicans,  honored  God  and  were  bap- 
tized with  the  baptism  of  John.  But  the  Pharisees  and 
lawyers  rejected  the  teachings  of  God,  not  being  bap- 
tized of  him. 

Then  he  began  to  reprove  the  towns  in  which  most 
of  his  mighty  works  had  been  done,  because  they  had 
not  repented.  "  Alas  for  thee,  Chorazin  !  Alas  for  thee, 
Bethsaida  !  for  if  the  mighty  works  had  been  done  in 
Tyre  and  Sidon  which  have  been  done  in  you,  they 

Market  Places^  were  areas,  generally  near  the  gates  of  the 
cities,  one  side  of  which  was  occupied  by  the  market,  the 
others  by  the  courts  of  justice  and  other  public  buildings.  In 
these  open  places  the  doctors  met,  and  conversed,  and  people 
gathered  for  business  or  amusement,  and  here  children  also 
collected  and  practised  their  games,  in  which,  of  course,  they 
imitated  the  graver  customs  of  their  elders.  Instrumental 
music,  —  or  piping  —  and  dancing,  was  practised  at  marriages, 
and  wailing  at  funerals. 

Chorazin  and  Bethsaida.  — These  towns  were  not  far  from 
Capernaum,  but  their  precise  location  is  not  known.  They 
were  destroyed  in  the  wars  between  the  Jews  and  Romans. 

Tyre  and  Sidon,  were  rich  trading  cities  noted  for   their 

*Matt.  xi.  2-19.     I^uke  vii.  18-35. 


Il6  LIFE   OF  JESUS. 

would  have  repented  long  ago  in  sackcloth  and  ashes. 
And  I  say  to  you,  It  will  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre 
and  Sidon  in  the  day  of  Judgment,  than  for  you.  And 
thou  Capernaum  !  that  hast  been  exalted  to  heaven, 
thou  wilt  be  brought  down  to  hell ;  for  if  the  mighty 
works  had  been  done  in  Sodom,  which  have  been 
done  in  thee,  it  would  have  remained  until  this  day. 
And  I  say  to  you,  it  will  be  more  tolerable  for  Sodom, 
in  the  day  of  Judgment,  than  for  you." 

At  that  time  Jesus  said,  '*  I  thank  thee,  O  Father, 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  because  thou  hast  hid  these 
things  from  the  wise  and  discerning,  and  hast  revealed 
them  to  babes.  Yea,  Father,  for  so  it  has  seemed 
good  in  thy  sight.  All  things  are  given  to  me  by  my 
Father ;  and  no  one  knows  the  Son,  but  the  Father  ; 
neither  knows  any  one  the  Father,  but  the  vSon,  and 
he  to  whom  the  vSon  will  reveal  him." 

"  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor,  and  are  heavy 
]aden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.  Take  my  yoke  upon 
you,  and  learn  of  me  ;  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in 
heart ;  and  you  will  find  rest  for  your  souls.  For  my 
yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden  is  light."  * 

And  one  of  the  Pharisees    asked  him  to  eat  with 

pride,    kixurj,    and   contempt  of  religion.     Judges   xviii.  7. 
Isaiah  xxiii.  9.     Amos  i.  9,  10. 

A.vd  one  of  the  Pharisees  asked  him  to  eat  luifh  him.  — The 
Jews  had  only  two  meals,  a  light  one  —  the  breakfast  —  at 
about  eleven  or  twelve  o'clock  in  the  day,  and  a  more  bounti- 
ful one  —  the  dinner  —  at  sunset.  The  table  was  but  slightly 
elevated  from  the  ground,  and  the  guests  reclined  about  it  on 
low  couches,  which  were  placed  around  three  of  its  sides,  an 
opening  being  left  at  the  fourth  for  the  entrance  of  the  ser- 

*Matt.  xi.  20-30. 


ANOINTED    BY    A    SINNER.  11/ 

him,  and  going  into  the  Pharisees  house,  he  recHned 
at  his  table.  And  a  woman  of  the  city,  who  was  a 
sinner,  hearing  that  Jesus  was  at  table  in  the  Phari- 
sees house,  brought  an  alabaster  box  of  ointment,  and 
standing  behind  him  at  his  feet,  weeping,  began  to 
wet  his  feet  with  tears,  and  to  wipe  them  with  the 
hair  of  her  head  ;  and  she  kissed  his  feet,  and  anointed 
them  with  the  ointment.     But  when  the  Pharisee  who 

vants  who  served  at  the  meal.  Ordinarily  only  three  persons, 
but  sometimes  four  or  five,  reclined  on  each  couch.  The 
couches  were  provided  with  cushions,  on  which  the  guest 
rested  upon  his  left  elbow,  his  I'ight  arm  being  free,  and  his 
feet  extended  outward  from  the  table,  so  that  one  standing  at 
them  would  be  behind  him.  When  several  guests  reclined  on 
one  couch  their  bodies  overlapped,  and  the  one  next  below 
another,  rested  his  head  on  or  near  the  breast  of  the  one  be- 
hind him.  Next  to  the  host  was  the  place  of  honor,  and  the 
guest  occupying  it  was  said  to  "lie  in  his  bosom,"  (John  i. 
i8,  xiii.  23,  xxi.  20).  Knives  and  forks  were  not  used,  and 
each  person  took  his  food  with  his  hand  from  a  common 
dish.  A  piece  of  bread  was  held  between  the  thumb  and  two 
fore  fingers,  and  was  dipped  either  into  a  bowl  of  melted 
grease,  (this  was  the  "  sop  "  John  xiii.  26,)  or  into  a  dish  of 
meat,  whence  a  piece  was  conveyed  to  the  mouth  between  t^vo 
layers  of  bread.  When  guests  were  invited  more  than  ordi- 
nary ceremony  was  used,  and  it  was  to  the  neglect  of  this 
ceremony  on  the  part  of  Simon,  that  Jesus  alluded.  On  such 
occasions  the  visitor  was  received  with  a  kiss,  water  was  pro- 
duced to  v/ash  his  feet,  and  his  head,  and  often  his  beard 
and  feet,  were  perfumed  with  oil. 

Kissed  his  feet. — Among  ancient  nations  kissing  the  feet 
was  a  token  of  deep  reverence,  and  earnest  supplication. 
Seneca  relates  that  "  C.  Caesar  gave  wine  to  Pompey  Pennus, 
whom  he  had- pardoned,  and  then,  on  his  returning  thanks, 
presented  his  left  foot  for  him  to  kiss."  Xenophon  speaks  of 
similar  instances.  From  this  arose  the  custom  of  kissing  the 
Pooe's  foot. 


IlS  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

had  invited  him,  saw  this,  he  said  to  himself,  "  This 
man,  if  he  were  a  prophet,  would  know  who  and 
what  this  woman  is  who  is  touching  him,  for  she  is  a 
sinner."  And  Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Simon,  I  have 
something  to  say  to  you ; "  and  he  said,  "  Teacher, 
say  on."  And  Jesus  said,  "  A  certain  creditor  had 
two  debtors :  the  one  owed  him  five  hundred  denarii, 
the  other  fifty,  and  both  having  nothing  to  pay,  he 
freely  forgave  them  both.  Tell  me,  therefore,  which 
of  them  will  love  him  most?"  Simon  answered,  "  I 
suppose  he  to  whom  he  forgave  most."  And  Jesus 
said  to  him,  "You  have  judged  rightly."  Then,  turn 
ing  to  the  woman,  he  said  to  Simon,  "  See  you  this 
woman?  I  entered  your  house,  you  gave  me  no 
water  for  my  feet ;  but  she  has  wet  them  with  tears, 
and  wiped  them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head.  You 
gave  me  no  kiss ;  but  since  I  came  in,  she  has  not 
ceased  to  kiss  my  feet.  My  head  with  oil  you  did  not 
anoint ;  but  she  has  anointed  my  feet  with  ointment. 
Therefore,  I  say  to  you,  her  sins,  which  are  many,  are 
forgiven  ;  for  she  has  loved  much,  but  he  to  whom  little 

Denarii.  — Roman  silver  coin  then  in  circulation  in  Pales- 
tine. One  denarius,  it  would  seem  from  Matt.  xx.  1-13,  was 
then  the  ordinary  pay  for  a  day's  labor.  Fifty  were  equal  to 
about  seven  dollars,  five  hundred  to  seventy. 

No-v/ater  for  my  feet. — As  sandals  were  worn  which  cov- 
ered only  the  sole  of  the  foot,  frequent  washings  were  neces- 
sary. It  was  customary  to  remove  the  sandals  and  bathe  the 
feet  whenever  one  entered  a  house,  and  in  omitting  to  provide 
water  for  this  purpose,  Simon  had  neglected  one  of  the  com- 
monest acts  of  hospitality.  In  Hindoostan,  at  the  present 
time,  when  a  superior  enters  the  house  of  an  inferior,  the 
latter  brings  water,  and  washes  his  feet. 


PREACHES     THROUGHOUT     GALILEE.  1 19 

is  forgiven,  he  loves  little."  Then  he  said  to  the 
woman,  "  Your  sins  are  forgiven."  And  those  that 
were  at  table  with  him  said  to  themselves,  "  Who  is 
this  that  even  forgives  sins."  But  he  said  to  the 
woman,  "Your  faith  has  saved  you  ;  go  in  peace."  * 

And  aftenvard  he  went  through  all  the  towns  and 
villages  preaching  the  glad  tidings  of  the  kingdom  of 
God;  and  the  twelve  went  with  him,  also  certain 
women,  whom  he  had  cured  of  evil  spirits  and  infirm- 
ities,—  Mary,  called  Mary  of  Magadala,  out  of  whom 
had  gone  seven  demons,  and  Joanna,  the  wife  of  Chuza, 
Herod's  steward,  and  Susanna,  and  many  others,  who 
provided  for  him  from  their  property.^ 

And  as  they  went  into  a  certain  house,  the  multitude 
came  together  so  that  they  could  not  so  much  as  eat 
bread.  And  when  his  kinsmen  heard  of  this  they 
went  out  to  lay  hold  of  him,  for  they  said  "  He  is 
beside  himself." 

Then  a  blind  and  dumb  man  possessed  by  a 
demon,  was  brought  to  him  ;  and  he  healed  him,  so 
that   the    blind,    and    dumb    both    spake    and    saw. 

Mary  of  Magdala.  —  Magdala  was  on  the  sea  of  Galilee, 
south  of  Capernaum.  Mary  is  commonly  supposed  to  have 
been  an  abandoned  character,  but  of  this  there  is  no  evidence. 
From  this  notice  it  is  to  be  inferred  that  she  was  a  person 
of  some  property. 

Seven  Demons.  —  The  Jews  supposed  the  demons  who 
possessed  men  were  the  spirits  of  mortals  who,  after  death, 
haunted  the  earth,  and  under  the  direction  of  Satan,  worked 
evil  to  mankind.  In  aggravate 
tenant  the  body  of  one  person. 

*Luke  vii.   30-49. 
fLuke  viii.  1-3. 


I20  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

When  the  demon  had  gone  out,  all  the  people  won- 
dered, and  said,  "  Is  not  this  the  Son  of  David  ?  "  But 
when  the  Pharisees,  who  had  come  down  from  Jeru- 
salem, heard  of  it,  they  said,  "  He  casts  out  demons, 
but  only  by  Beelzebub,  the  prince  of  demons."  And 
Jes'i?s,  knowing  their  thoughts,  called  them  to  him,  and 
said,  "  Every  kingdom  at  war  within  itself  is  laid 
waste  ;  and  every  city  or  family  at  discord  within 
itself  is  brought  to  ruin.  If  Satan  cast  out  Satan  he  is 
at  war  with  himself;  how  then  can  his  kingdom  stand? 
And  if  I  by  Beelzebub  cast  out  demons,  by  wb^m  do 
your  disciples  cast  them  out?.  Therefore  they  shall  be 
your  judges ;  but  if  I,  by  the  spirit  of  God,  cast  out 
demons  then  has  the  kingdom  of  God  come  among  you. 
How  can  one  enter  a  strong  man's  house  and  seize 
upon  his  goods,  without  first  binding  the  strong  man? 
Then  may  he  plunder  his  house.  He  that  is  not  with 
me  is  against  me,  and  he  that  gathers  not  with  me, 
scatters  abroad ;  and  truly,  I  say  to  you,  all  man- 
ner of  sin  and  calumny  may  be  forgiven  to  men ; 
but  the  calumny  against  the  spirit  of  God  may 
not  be  forgiven.  Whoever  speaks  against  the  Son 
of  Man  may  be  forgiven  ;  but  whoever  speaks  against 
the  spirit  of  God  will  not  be  forgiven,  neither  in  this 
world,  nor  in  the  world  to  come."  (This,  he  said, 
because  they  accused  him  of  having  an  evil  spirit). 

"Admit  that  the  tree  is  good,  and  its  fruit  good,  or 
else  that  the  tree  is  bad,  and  its  fruit  bad  ;  for  a  tree  is 
known  by  its  fruit.     O  brood  of  vipers  !  how  can  you 

By  ivho7n  do  your  Disciples  cast  tJiem  out  P  —  For  proof  that 
the  Jews  practised  exorcism  see  Acts  xix.  13.  Mai-k  ix.  38. 
Luke  ix.  49.    Josephus,  Antiq,  lib.  viii. 


THE    PHARISEES    ASK    A    SIGN.  121 

who  are  evil,  speak  what  is  good,  for  out  of  the  abun- 
dance of  the  heart  the  mouth  speaks.  A  good  man 
out  of  the  good  treasure  of  his  heart  brings  forth 
what  is  good,  and  an  evil  man,  out  of  the  evil  treasure, 
brings  forth  what  is  evil.  And  I  say  to  you,  that  for 
every  vile  word  that  men  speak  they  will  give  ac- 
count in  a  day  of  Judgment ;  for  according  to  your 
words  you  will  be  justified,  and  according  to  your 
words  you  will  be  condemned."  * 

And  while  the  people  were  thronging  thickly  about 
him,  certain  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  to  make 
trial  of  him,  said,  "  Teacher,  show  us  a  sign  from 
heaven."  But  he  answered  them,  "  This  is  an  evil 
generation.  It  seeks  a  sign ;  but  no  sign  shall  be 
given  it,  but  the  sign  of  the  prophet  Jonah  ;  for  as 
Jonah  was  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  heart 
of  the  fish,  and  a  sign  to  the  Ninevites ;  so  shall  the 
Son  of  Man  be  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the 
heart  of  the  earth,  and  a  sign  to  this  generation.  The 
men  of  Nineveh  will  rise  before  the  Judgment  seat 
with  this  generation,  and  will  condemn  it ;  for  they 
repented,  at  the  preaching  of  Jonah,  and  lo  !  a  greater 
than  Jonah  is  here.  The  queen  of  the  south  will  rise 
before  the  Judgment  seat  with   this  generation,  and 

A  sign  from  heaven.  —  Some  supernatural  appearance  in 
the  air.  They  ascribed  what  he  had  done  to  the  power  of 
Satan  ;  but  this,  they  implied,  would  convince  them.  Some 
such  sign  they  appear  to  have  expected  from  the  coming 
Messiah. 

Rise  before  the  yudgment  seat.  —  An  allusion  to  the  custom 
among  the  Jews  and  Romans  for  w-itnesses  to  rise  from  their 
seats,  when  accusing,  or  giving  evidence  against,  criminals. 

*Mark  iii.  19-30.     Matt.  xii.  22-37.     Luke  xi.  14,  15,  17,  23. 
II 


122  LIFE   OF  JESUS. 

will  condemn  it ;  for  she  came  from  the  ends  of  the 
earth  to  hear  the  wisdom  of  Solomon,  and  Ip !  a 
greater  than  Solomon  is  here.  When  a  foul  spirit  has 
gone  out  of  a  man  he  walks  through  desert  places,  seek- 
ing rest  and  finding  none.  Then  he  says,  I  will  return 
to  my  house  whence  I  came ;  and  returning,  he  finds 
it  empty,  swept,  and  set  in  order.  Then  he  goes  and 
takes  with  him  seven  other  spirits  more  wicked  than 
himself,  and  they  enter  in,  and  dwell  there  ;  and  the 
last  state  of  the  man,  is  worse  than  the  first.  So  will 
it  be  with  this  wicked  generation.* 

While  he  was  speaking,  a  certain  woman  called  out 
from  the  throng,  "  Blessed  is  the  womb  that  bore  thee, 
and  the  breasts  that  thou  hast  nursed."  But  he  said, 
''  Rather,  blessed  are  those  who  hear  the  word  of  God, 
and  keep  it."  While  he  thus  talked  to  the  people  his 
mother  and  his  kinsmen  came  and  stood  without,  de- 
siring to  speak  with  him.     But  not  being  able  to  get  to 

ThrougJt  desert  ^places.  —  The  common  notion  was  that  evil 
spirits  haunted  dry  and  desert  places. 

That  ma7i.  —  Reference  is  here  made  to  the  whole  nation 
of  Jews.  Jesus  compares  them  to  a  demoniac,  who,  after  an 
interval  of  quiet,  relapses  into  greater  violence.  Since  their 
return  from  Babylon,  the  Jews  had  not  fallen  into  idolatry, 
and,  therefore,  did  not  consider  themselves  liable  to  the  anger 
of  God ;  but  Jesus  says  that  seven  demons  are  about  to  enter 
them,  and  their  last  state  will  be  worse  than  the  first.  Ac- 
cording to  Josephus,  "the  character  of  the  Jews,  just  before 
their  final  destruction  by  the  Romans,  was  the  vilest  that  can 
be  conceived.  They  pressed  on  to  their  own  ruin  as  if  they 
were  possessed  by  legions  of  devils,  and  wrought  up  to  the 
last  degree  of  madness." 

*Matt.  xii.  38-45.     Luke  xi.  24-36. 


DINES    WITH    A    PHARISEE.  1 23 

him  on  account  of  the  multitude,  the)^  sent  to  him, 
calling  him,  and  those  who  sat  about  him  said,  "  Lo  ! 
Your  mother  and  your  kinsmen  are  without,  asking 
for  you."  And  he  answered,  "Who  is  my  mother, 
or  my  kinsmen?"  and  looking  round  on  those  about 
him,  he  stretched  forth  his  hand  towards  his  disciples, 
and  said,  "  Behold  my  mother  and  my  kinsmen  ;  for 
whoever  does  the  will  of  my  Father  in  heaven  is  my 
brother,  and  my  sister,  and  my  mother."  * 

And  when  he  had  finished  speaking,  a  certain  Phar- 
isee asked  him  to  dine  with  him,  and  he  went  into  his 
house  and  reclined  at  his  table.  But  the  Pharisee 
wondered  when  he  saw  that  he  did  not  wash  before 
dinner.  And  the  Lord  said  to  him,  ''Now, you  Phari- 
sees make  clean  the  outside  of  your  cups  and  dishes, 
but  your  inward  part  is  full  of  rapacity  and  wicked- 
ness. Fools  !  did  not  He  who  made  the  outside,  make 
the  inside  also  ?  But  give  alms  of  v^hat  you  have,  and 
all  things  will  be  clean  to  you.  Alas,  for  you  Phari- 
sees !  for  you  give  tithes  of  mint  and  rue,  and  all 
manner  of  herbs,  and  pass  by  justice,  and  the  love  of 
God.  These  ought  you  to  have  done,  and  not  to  have 
left  the  other  undone.  Alas,  for  you  Pharisees !  for 
you  love  the  highest  seats  in  the  synagogues,  and 
greetings  in  the  market-places.  Alas,  for  you, 
vScribes    and   Pharisees !     Hypocrites !     you    are    like 

Rue.  —  A  small  shrub  grown  in  gardens.  It  has  a  strong 
smell,  and  a  bitter  taste,  and  is  used  in  medicine.  Paying 
tithes  on  these  insignificant  herbs  shows  how  scrupulous  the 
Pharisees  were  in  observing  all  the  minor  requirements  of 
their  religion. 

♦Matt.  xii.  38-45.     Mark  iii.  31-35. 


124  ^^^^    ^^  JESUS. 

hidden   graves   which   men   walk   over,  and  are  not 
aware  of." 

Then  one  of  the  teachers  of  the  Law  said  to  him, 
"  Teacher,  in  saying  this,  you  reproagh  us  also."  And 
he  answered,  "  Alas  for  you,  lawj^ers,  also !  for  you 
load  men  with  burdens  grievous  to  be  borne,  and  you, 
yourselves,  touch  them  not  wdth  one  of  your  fingers. 
Alas  for  you,  for  you  build  the  sepulchres  of  the 
prophets,  and  your  fathers  killed  them.  Truly  you 
show  that  you  approve  of  the  deeds  of  your  fathers ; 
for  they  slew  them,  and  you  build  their  sepulchres. 
Alas  for  you,  lawyers !  for  you  have  taken  away  the 
key  of  knowledge  ;  you  enter  not  3^ourselves,  and  you 
keep  out  those  who  are  entering." 

Hidden^  Graves.  —  The  graves  of  the  common  people  were 
mere  excavations  in  the  earth,  sodded,  and  level  with  the 
ground. 

Build  their  Sepulchres.  —  The  Jews  greatly  reverenced  the 
tombs  of  dead  men.  Dr.  Thomson  says  that  in  Palestine  at 
the  present  time,  "  every  village  has  its  saints'  tombs  —  every 
hill-top  is  covered  with  the  white  dome  of  some  prophet. 
Thither  all  resort  to  garnish  the  sepulchres,  burn  incense 
and  consecrated  candles,  fulfil  vows,  make  offerings  and 
pray.  So  fanatical  are  they  in  their  zeal  that  they  would 
tear  anj^  one  to  pieces,  who  should  put  dishonor  on  one  of 
the  sacred  shrines.  Enter  that  at  Hebron,  for  example,  and 
they  would  instantly  sacrifice  you  to  their  fury.  It  was  for 
rebuking  this,  and  other  kinds  of  idolatrj^,  that  *  their  fathers 
killed  the  prophets,'  and  those  who  built  their  tombs  v/ould, 
in  like  manner,  kill  any  one  who  denounced  their  idolatrous 
reverence  for  these  very  sepulchres."  Thus  the  Pharisees 
were  actuated  by  the  same  spirit  as  their  fathers. 

The  Key  of  Kno-wledge. — When  the  Scribe  w-as  admitted 
to  his  office,  the  presiding  Rabbi  solemnly  delivered  to  him 
the  "  key  of  knowledge,"  with  which  he  was  to  open  and  shut 


DENOUNCES  THE  TEACHERS  OF  THE  LAW.   1 25 

When  he  had  said  these  things  to  them,  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees  began  to  press  him  vehemently  with 
questions  about  many  things,  hoping  to  ensnare  him 
into  some  words  that  might  serve  for  an  accusation 
against  him. 

In  the  mean  time  thousands  of  the  people  had  gath- 
ered together,  so  that  they  trod  one  upon  another,  and 
lie  began  to  say  to  his  disciples.  "First  of  all,  beware 
3'ou  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees,  which  is  hypocrisy  ; 
for  nothing  is  covered  that  will  not  be  revealed,  nor 
hidden  that  v/ill  not  be  made  known.  There- 
fore, whatever  you  have  spoken  in  darkness,  will  be 
heard  in  the  light,  and  what  you  have  whispered  in 
closets,  will  be  proclaimed  from  the  house-tops  ;  and  I 
say  to  you,  ni}^  friends,  fear  not  those  who  kill  the 
body,  and  after  that  can  do  no  more,  but  I  will  warn 
you  whom  to  fear;  Fear  Him,  who  after  he  has 
killed,  has  power  to  cast  into  hell.  Yea  I  say  to  you, 
fear  Him.     Are  not  five  sparrows  sold  for  two  fartli- 

the  treasures  of  Divine  Avisdom ;  and  he  is  said  to  have  worn 
the  figure  of  a  key  on  his  garment,  as  a  symbol  of  his  office. 

Proclaimed  from  the  house  tops.  —  The  roofs  of  Jevirish 
houses  were  flat,  and  were  greatly  resorted  to  by  all  classes 
of  people.  Dr.  Thomson  states  that  "  at  the  present  day 
the  governors  in  country'  districts  [of  Palestine],  cause  their 
com.mands  to  be  published  from  the  house-tops.  Their  proc- 
lamations are  generally  made  in  the  evening,  after  the  people 
have  returned  from  their  labors  in  the  field.  The  public  crier 
ascends  the  highest  roof  at  hand,  and  lifts  up  his  voice  in  a 
long-drawn  call  upon  all  faithful  subjects  to  give  ear  and 
obey. 

Fear  not  those  tvho  hill  the  body.  — Jesus  had  just  endan- 
gered his  own  life  by  his  severe  denunciation  of  the  Pharisees. 

SJ)arroxvs.  —  The  sparrows  of  Judea  are  described  as  tame, 


126  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

ings,  and  yet  not  one  of  them  is  forgotten  before  God. 
Nay,  even  the  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  num- 
bered. Fear  not,  therefore,  you  are  of  more  value 
than  many  sparrov^s.  Also,  I  say  to  you,  whoever 
shall  acknov/ledge  me  before  men,  him  will  the  Son 
of  Man  also  acknowledge  before  the  angels  of  God." 
And  one  among  the  multitude  said  to  him,  "Teach- 
er, speak  to  my  brother  that  he  divide  the  inheritance 
with  me  ;  "  but  Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Man,  who  made 
me  a  judge,  or  a  divider  over  you  ?  '*  And  he  said  to 
his  disciples,  "  Take  heed,  and  beware  of  covetous- 
ness  ;  for  a  man's  life  consists  not  in  the  abundance 
of  his  possessions."  And  he  spoke  a  parable  to  them, 
saying,  "  The  ground  of  a  certain  rich  man  yielded 
abundantly,  and  he  thought  to  himself.  What  shall  I 
do,  for  I  have  no  room  to  store  my  grain.  Then  he 
said.  This  will  I  do.  I  will  pull  down  my  barns,  and 
build  greater,  and  in  them,  I  will  store  all  my  fruits  and 
produce.  And  I  will  say  to  my  soul.  Soul,  thou  hast 
many  good  things  laid  up  for  many  years,  take  thine 
ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry.  But  God  said  to  him. 
Thou  fool !  this  night  thy  soul  will  be  required  of 
thee.  Then  whose  ^vill  all  this  be  that  thou  hast  pro- 
vided? So  is  he  who  lays  up  treasure  for  himself,  and 
is  not  rich  toward  God. 

troublesome  and  impertinent  birds  infesting  the  towns,  in 
countless  numbers.  They  are  not  much  valued  for  food,  and 
are  snared  and  destroj^ed  as  a  public  nuisance. 

Divide  the  inherita7ice.  — Among  the  Jews  the  older  brother 
had  two  shares,  the  rest  was  divided  equally  among  the  re- 
maining children.  The  word  Judge  here  means  arbitrator, 
and  the  doctors  of  the  law  acted  in  that  capacity  in  family 
disputes. 


TEACHES    HIS     DISCIPLES.  1 27 

"  Fear  not,  little  flock,  for  it  has  pleased  your  Father 
to  give  you  the  kingdom.  Sell  what  you  have,  and 
give  to  the  poor,  provide  yourselves  purses  that  wax  not 
old,  a  treasure  in  the  heavens,  that  will  not  fail,  where 
no  thief  will  come,  and  no  moth  destroy,  for  w^here 
your  treasure  is,  there  will  your  heart  be  also.  Let 
your  loins  be  girt  about,  and  your  lamps  burning,  and 
be  you  like  men  who  w^ait  their  lord's  return  from  the 
wedding,  that  when  he  comes  and  knocks,  they  may 
open  to  him  immediately.  Happy  will  be  those  ser- 
vants, whom  the  Lord  w^hen  he  comes  shall  find 
watching.  Truly,  I  say  to  you,  he  will  gird  himself,  and 
place  them  at  table,  and  come  forth  and  serve  them. 
And  whether  he  come  in  the  second  watch,  or  come  in 
the  third,  happy  will  be  those  servants  who  are  thus 
found  watching.  And  this  you  know,  that  if  the 
master  of  a  house  knows  at  what  hour  the  thief  is 
coming,  he  is  awake,  and  suffers  not  his  house  to  be 
broken  into.  Be  you  then  always  ready ;  for  in  an 
hour  when  you  think  not  the  Son  of  Man  will  come." 

Then  Peter  said  to  him,  "  Lord,  speak  you  this 
parable  to  us,  or  even  to  all  ? "     And  the  Lord  said, 

I^et  your  loins  be  girt  about. — The  outer  garment,  when 
one  walked  or  labored,  was  gii'ded  up  about  the  waist  with  a 
sash  or  girdle. 

Retur7i  froiTi  the  Wedding.  —  Marriages  were  performed  at 
night  at  the  house  of  the  bride's  father,  and  the  husband  took 
his  wife  directly  to  his  own  house,  where  the  wedding  feast 
was  given. 

The  second  tvatck. — The  night  was  divided  by  the  Jews 
and  Romans  into  four  watches.  The  first  was  from  six  o'clock 
till  nine  p.  m.,  the  second  from  nine  till  twelve,  the  third  from 
twelve  till  three  a.  m.,  and  the  fourth  from  three  till  six. 


128  LIFE   OF  JESUS. 

"  '  Who  then  is  the  faithful,  and  wise  steward  whom 
his  lord  will  make  ruler  over  his  household,  to  give 
them  their  food  in  due  season?'  He  is  that  ser^^ant 
whom  his  lord  when  he  comes  shall  find  so  doing. 
Happy  is  he  !  for  of  a  truth  I  say  to  you,  his  lord  will 
make  him  ruler  over  all  that  he  has.  But  should  the 
sei-vant  say  in  his  heart,  My  lord  delays  his  coming, 
and  should  begin  to  beat  the  men-servants,  and  the 
maidens,  and  to  eat  and  drink  and  be  drunken,  the 
lord  of  that  servant  will  come  in  a  day  when  he  looks 
not  for  him,  and  in  an  hour  when  he  is  not  aware,  and 
w^ill  cut  him  asunder,  and  assign  him  his  portion  with 
the  unfaithful.  And  that  servant  who  knows  his  lord's 
will,  and  prepares  not  himself,  nor  does  according  to 
his  will,  will  be  beaten  with  many  stripes  ;  but  he  who 
knows  it  not,  though  he  does  things  worthy  of  stripes, 
will  be  beaten  with  few  ;  for  to  whom  much  is  given, 
of  him  much  will  be  required  ;  and  to  whom  even 
men  commit  much,  of  him  they  ask  the  more. 

"  I  came  to  send  fire  on  the  earth,  and  what  would  I 
if  it  were  already  kindled.     But  I  have  a  baptism,  to 

Cut  him  asunder.  —  Cutting  asunder  was  a  mode  of  capital 
punishment  practised  by  the  Persians  and  Chaldeans.  The 
left  hand  and  right  foot,  or  the  right  hand  and  left  foot,  or 
both  hands  and  both  feet,  were  taken  off  at  the  joints,  and 
the  criminal  was  allowed  to  bleed  to  death.  It  was  practised 
also  among  the  Jews,  as  is  seen  from  2  Samuel  xii.  31.  i 
Samuel  xv.  33.  i  Kings  iii.  25.  Hebrews  xi.  37,  and  the 
Hebrew  tradition  is  that  Isaiah  Avas  "sawn  asunder  in  the 
midst"  whilst  alive.  It  is  still  practised  among  the  Moors  of 
Barbary. 

Few  Stripes. — The  Jews  inflicted  not  more  than  forty 
stripes  for  any  one  offence.  Deut.  xxv.  3  :  and  servants  were 
not  generally  treated  with  severity. 


TEACHES    HIS    DISCIPLES.  1 29 

be  baptized  with,  and  how  am  I  straightened  till  it  be 
accomplished !  Suppose  you  that  I  have  come  to 
bring  peace  on  the  earth  ?  I  tell  you  nay,  but  only 
division.  Henceforth,  five  in  one  house  Vvill  be 
divided,  three  against  tsvo,  and  two  against  three,  the 
father  against  the  son,  and  the  son  against  the  father, 
the  mother  against  the  daughter,  the  daughter  against 
the  mother,  the  mother-in-law  against  the  daughter- 
in-law,  and  the  daughter-in-law  against  the  mother-in- 
law,  and  a  man's  foes  will  be  those  of  his  own  house- 
hold." And  he  said  also  to  the  multitude,  "  When 
you  see  a  cloud  rising  in  the  west,  you  say.  There 
comes  a  shower  ;  and  so  it  is :  and  when  the  south- 
wind  blows,  you  say.  There  will  be  heat ;  and  so 
it  is.  You  hypocrites !  you  can  judge  of  the  face  of 
the  sky,  and  of  the  earth,  but  how  is  it  that  you  do  not 
discern  this  time  ?  Yea,  and  why  even  of  yourselves 
judge  you  not  wdiat  is  right.*  " 

At  that  time,  there  were  present,  some  who  told  him 
of  the  Galileans,  whose  blood  Pilate  had  mingled  with 

A  cloud  ill  the  West. —  Rain-storms  in  Palestine  come  from 
the  west — the  Mediterranean;  and  the  hot  winds  from  the 
sultry  deserts  at  the  South. 

The  Galileans. — This  incident  is  not  mentioned  by  Jose- 
phus  ;  but  he  says  that  the  Galileans  were  distinguished  above 
the  other  Jews  for  their  seditions  and  turbulent  disposition. 
He  mentions  several  tumults  which  occurred  at  festivals,  one 
—  about  thirty  years  before  this — when  Arcelaus  massacred 
a  large  number  of  Jews,  principally  Galileans,  in  the  temple 
at  the  feast  of  the  Passover.  A  similar  massacre  occurred 
under  Sabinus,  the  Roman  Procurator,  at  the  Feast  of  Pente- 
cost. 

*L,uke  xii.  1-59. 


130  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

their  sacrifices,  and  Jesus  said  to  them,  "  Suppose  you 
that  those  GaHleans,  because  they  suffered  thus,  were 
sinners  above  all  the  Galileans?  I  tell  you,  nay,  but 
unless  you  repent,  you  will  all  in  like  manner  perish. 
Or  those  eighteen  on  whom  the  tower  in  Siloam  fell, 
and  slew  them ;  think  you  that  they  were  greater 
sinners  than  all  the  dwellers  in  Jerusalem?  I  tell  you, 
nay,  but  unless  you  repent,  you  will  all  in  like  manner 
perish."  He  spake  also  this  parable.  '^  A  certain  man 
had  a  fig-tree  planted  in  his  vineyard,  and  he  came, 
seeking  fruit  on  it,  and  found  none.  Then  said  he  to 
the  vine  dresser,  '  Lo  !  these  three  years  have  I  come, 
seeking  fruit  from  this  fig-tree,  and  have  found  none. 
Cut  it  down  !  Why  cumbers  it  the  ground  ? '  But  the 
vine  dresser  answered,  '  Lord,  leave  it  for  this  year 
longer,  that  I  may  dig  about  it,  and  cast  in  manure  ; 
perhaps  it  may  bear  fruit ;  if  not,  then  cut  it  down.'"* 
The  same  day  Jesus  went  out  from  the  house,  and 
taught  by  the  seaside,  and  a  great  multitude  came 
to  him,  so  that  he  entered  a  boat  and  sat  in  the  sea, 
while  ail  the  people  stood  by  the  sea  on  the  land. 
And  he  taught  them  many  things  in  parables,  and 
in  his  teaching,  said,  "  Hearken !  A  sower  went 
forth  to  sow ;  and  as  he  sowed,  some  seed  fell  by  the 

The  Fig-tree.,  —  is  exhaustive  of  the  soil,  and  very  difficult 

of  cultivation.     To  make  it  produce  well  it  is  necessary  to 

plow  and  dig  about  it  frequently,  and  to  manure  the  roots 

thoroughly. 

A  sower  "juent  forth  to  sow.  —  "There  is  a  nice  and  close 

■yidherence  to  actual  life  in  this  form  of  expression.     It  im- 

"s  that  the  sower  in  the  days  of  our  Saviour  lived  in  a 

.  ^"'^  ;,  or  village   as  all  these  [Palestine]  farmers  now  do; 
stripes  foi 

not  generally  *  Luke  xiii.  i-q. 


THE    PARABLES    OF     THE     KINGDOM.  I3I 

way  side,  and  was  trodden  down,  and  the  birds 
came  and  devoured  it.  And  some  fell  on  stony 
ground,  where  was  not  much  earth,  and  it  sprang  up 
quickly,  because  it  had  no  depth  of  earth  ;  but  when 
the  sun  ca^ne  up  it  was  scorched,  and,  because  it  had 
no  root,  it  withered  away.  And  some  fell  among 
thorns,  and  the  thorns  grew  up  and  choked  it,  so  that 
it  yielded  no  fruit.  But  other  fell  on  good  ground,  and 
sprang  up,  yielding  fruit,  some  thirty,  some  sixty,  and 
some  a  hundred  fold.  Ke  that  has  ears  to  hear,  let 
him  hear." 

And  when  he  was  alone  his  disciples  said  to  him, 
"Why  speak  you  to  the  people  in  parables?"  "Be- 
that  he  did  not  sow  near  his  own  house,  or  in  a  garden 
fenced  or  walled,  for  such  a  field  does  not  furnish  all  the  basis 
of  the  parable.  There  are  neither  roads,  nor  thorns,  nor 
stony  places  in  such  lots.  He  must  go  forth  into  the  open 
country  as  those  have  done,  where  there  are  no  fences,  where 
the  path  passes  through  the  cultivated  land;  where  thorns 
grow  in  clumps  all  around ;  where  the  rocks  peep  out  in 
places  through  the  scanty  soil ;  and  where,  also,  hard  bv,  are 
patches  extremely  fertile.  Now,  here  we  have  the  farm  with- 
in a  dozen  rods  of  us.  Our  horses  are  actually  trampling 
down  some  seeds  which  have  fallen  by  the  wayside,  and  larks 
and  sparrows  are  busy  picking  them  up.  That  man,  with  his 
mattock,  is  digging  about  places  where  the  rock  is  too  near 
the  surface  for  the  plough,  and  much  that  is  sown  there 
will  wither  away,  because  it  has  no  deepness  of  earth.  And 
not  a  few  seeds  have  fallen  among  this  hillan^  and  will  be 
effectuallj  choked  by  this  most  tangled  of  thorn-bushes.  But 
a  large  portion,  after  all,  falls  into  really  good  ground,  and 
four  months  hence  will  exhibit  every  varietj^  of  cx-op,  up  to 
the  richest  and  hardiest  that  ever  rejoices  the  heart  of  even  an 
American  farmer."  —  Dr.  W.  M.  Thomson,  in  the  Land  and 
the  Book. 


132  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

cause,"  he  answered,  "it  is  given  to  you  to  know  the 
new  truths  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  to  them  it 
is  not  given.  For  whoever  has,  to  him  more  is  given, 
and  he  has  abundance  ;  but  whoever  has  not,  from 
him  is  taken  even  w^hat  he  seems  to  have.  Hence, 
I  speak  to  them  in  parables,  because  seeing  they  do 
not  see,  and  hearing  they  do  not  hear,  nor  do  they 
understand.  And  in  them  is  fulfilled  the  prophecy 
of  Isaiah  which  says,  '  They  will  hear  indeed,  but  will 
not  understand,  and  see  indeed,  but  not  perceive  ;  for 
this  people's  heart  is  waxed  gross,  and  their  ears  are 
dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  they  have  closed,  lest 
they  should  see  with,  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their 
ears,  and  understand  with  their  hearts,  and  turn  from , 
their  ways,  and  I  should  heal  them.'  But  blessed  are 
your  eyes,  for  they  see,  and  your  ears,  for  they  hear ; 
for  I  say  to  you  that  many  prophets  and  righteous 
men  have  desired  to  see  what  you  see,  and  have  not 
seen  ;  and  to  hear  what  you  hear,  and  have  not  heard. 
Hear,  then,  the  parable  of  the  sower :  The  seed  is  the 
word  of  God.  When  any  one  hears  and  understands  it 
not,  the  Evil  One  comes  and  catches  away  what  was 
sown  in  his  heart.  He  is  the  seed  sown  by  the  way 
side.  And  the  seed  sown  on  stony  gi'ound  is  he  who 
hears  the  word,  and  at  once  with  joy.receives  it.  But 
having  no  root  in  himself,  he  endures  for  but  a  time, 
and  when  tribulation  or  persecution  comes  on  account 
of  the  w^ord,  he  falls  away.  The  seed  among  the 
thorns,  is  he  who  hears  the  w^ord,  and  the  cares  of  this 

Waxed  Gross.  — The  ancients  had  the  idea  that  the  fat  of 
the  body  is  destitute  of  sensation.  Hence  a  "fat  heart" 
denoted  stupidity  and  lack  of  feeling. 


TPIE    PARABLES    OF     THE     KINGDOM,  1 33 

world,  and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches  choke  it,  so  that 
he  becomes  unfruitful.  But  the  seed  that  fell  on  good 
ground,  are  they  who  hear  the  word  and  understand  it, 
and  also  bear  fruit,  some  thirty,  some  sixty,  and  some 
a  hundred  fold.  If  any  man  has  ears  to  hear,  let  him 
hear."  * 

Another  parable  put  he  forth  to  the  people,  saying, 
"  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  a  man  who  sowed 
good  seed  in  his  field,  but  the  enemy  came  while  his 
men  slept,  and  sowed  tares  among  the  wheat,  and 
went  away.  Now,  when  the  blade  came  up  and  bore 
fruit,  the  tares  appeared  also.  So  the  sen^ants  of 
tiie  householder  came  and  said  to  him,  '  Sir,  did  you 
not  sow  good  seed  in  your  field?  Whence,  then,  has 
it  tares?'  He  said  to  them,  'An  enemy  has  done 
this.'     Then  his  servants  said  to  him,    '  Shall  we  go 

Wkile  men  slept.  —  Owing  to  the  exti-eme  heat,  laborers  in 
the  East  do  no  work  in  the  middle  of  the  day.  Then  they 
sleep. 

Tares  grow  in  great  profusion  all  over  the  East,  and  are  a 
great  nuisance  to  the  farmer.  They  closely  resemble  wheat, 
and  until  the  stalk  begins  to  head  out,  cannot  be  distinguished 
from  the  good  grain.  Though  the  farmers  weed  their  fields, 
they  do  not  attempt  to  separate  the  tares  from  the  wheat ;  the 
two  are  so  much  alike,  and  their  roots  are  so  intertwined,  that 
there  is  danger  of  pulling  up  both.  They  are  therefore 
allowed  to  grow  together  until  the  harv^est,  when  the  stalks 
are  mostly  separated  by  hand,  but  if  any  remain  among  the 
wheat,  the  grain  being  lighter  and  smaller  than  that  of  the 
wheat,  is  easily  separated  by  the  winnowing  fan.  The  grain 
of  tares  has  a  bitter  taste,  and,  eaten  separately  or  diffused 
among  the  wheat,  produces  dizziness  and  vomiting.  The 
Arabic  name  is  Zowa?i. 

*Matt.  xiii.  1-23.     Mark  iv.  1-25.     Luke  xiii.  4-18. 
12 


134  1A¥B    OF   JESUS. 

and  weed  them  out?'  But  he  said,  'No;  lest  while 
you  weed  out  the  tares,  you  root  up  the  wheat  along 
with  them.  Let  both  grow  together  until  the  hai*vest, 
and  when  the  harvest  comes  I  will  say  to  the  reapers, 
Collect  together  first  the  tares,  and  bind  them  in  bun- 
dles to  burn  them ;  but  gather  the  wheat  into  my 
barn.' " 

Another  parable  put  he  forth  to  them,  saying,  "  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  a  grain  of  mustard  seed, 
that  a  man  sowed  in  his  field  ;  which,  though  one  of 
the  least  of  all  seeds,  is,  when  grown,  the  greatest 
among  herbs,  and  becomes  a  tree,  so  that  the  birds 
of  the  air  rest  on  its  branches." 

And  still  another  parable  spake  he  to  them.  "  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  leaven,  which  a  woman 
mixed  in  three  measures  of  meal,  till  the  whole  was 
leavened." 

All  these  things  Jesus  spake  in  parables,  and  with- 
out a  parable  he  did  not  speak  to  them.  But  when 
they  were  alone  he  explained  them  all  to  his  disciples. 
And  thus  were  fulfilled  the  words  of  the  prophet, 
"  I  will  open  my  mouth  in  parables.      I  will   utter 

A  grain  of  mustard  seed.  —  The  mustard  plant  grows  wild, 
and  in  great  luxuriance,  near  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  It  bears  a 
yellow  flower,  and  grows  to  an  enormous  size,  shooting  forth 
great  branches,  so  that  the  birds  of  the  air  come  and  lodge 
in  its  branches.  It  is  sometimes  seen  as  high  as  a  horse  and 
his  rider.  It  is  said  to  have  been  cultivated  in  earlier  times, 
and  to  have  then  grown  to  such  a  size  that  a  man  could  climb 
into  it. 

Three  measures  of  meal.  —  Perhaps  the  ephah  (Ex.  xvi. 
36.  Ruth  ii.  17),  a  measure  of  about  a  peck  and  a  half,  and 
probably  the  quantity  usually  taken  in  making  bread.  Gen- 
esis xvii.  6.     I  Samuel  i.  24. 


THE    PARABLES    OF    THE    KINGDOM. 


6:) 


things  which  have  been  hidden  from  the  foundation 
of  the  world." 

Then  Jesus,  sending  the  multitude  away,  went  into 
the  house,  and  his  disciples  came  to  him,  saying, 
"  Explain  to  us  the  parable  of  the  tares  in  the  field." 
He  answered  them,  "  He  who  sows  the  good  seed  is 
the  Son  of  Man.  The  seed  is  the  word.  The  good 
seed  are  the  children  of  the  kingdom  ;  but  the  tares  are 
the  children  of  the  Evil  One.  The  enemy  who  sowed 
them  is  the  Devil,  the  harvest  is  the  end  of  the  age, 
and  the  reapers  are  angels.  As,  then,  the  tares  are 
gathered  and  burned  in  the  fire,  so  will  it  be  at  the  end 
of  the  age.  The  Son  of  Man  will  send  forth  his 
angels,  and  they  will  gather  from  his  kingdom  all  that 
lead  to  sin,  and  do  iniquity,  and  will  cast  them  into 
a.  furnace  of  fire,  where  will  be  wailing  and  gnashing 
of  teeth.  Then  will  the  righteous  shine  as  the  sun  in 
the  kingdom  of  their  Father.  Who  has  ears  to  hear, 
let  him  hear." 

"Again  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  treasure 
hidden  in  a  field,  which  a  man  having  found,  keeps 
secret,  and  rejoicing,  goes  and  sells  all  that  he  has,  and 
buys  that  field." 

T/ie  end  of  the  age.  — The  word  here  rendered  "  age  "  was 
used  by  the  Jews  to  denote  the  end  of  the  state  of  things 
which  was  to  precede  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  and  not  the 
end  of  the  world.  Every  reader  will  put  his  own  interpreta- 
tion on  the  meaning  which  Jesus  intended  to  convey. 

Furnace  of  Fire.  — This  figure  is  evidently  drawn  from  the 
custom  of  burning  alive,  mentioned  in  Daniel  iii.  lo. 

Treasure  hidden  in  a  Field.  — Judea  had  been  subject  to 
invasions  and  calamities,  and  hence  a  feeling  of  insecurity 
had  arisen  among  the  people,  and  it  had  become  a  custom  to 
hide  treasures  in  fields  and  gardens.     The  practice  is  alluded 


136  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

"  Again,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  Hke  a  meixhant 
seeking  pearls,  who,  having  found  one  of  great  price, 
goes  and  sells  all  that  he  has,  and  buys  it." 

"  Again,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  a  net  cast 
into  the  sea,  vsdiich  gathers  of  every  kind  ;  and  being 
full,  they  dra^v  to  shore,  and  sitting  down,  gather  the 
good  into  baskets,  but  cast  the  bad  away.  So  will  it  be 
when  the  angels  come  forth  and  separate  the  wicked 
from  the  good,  and  cast  them  into  the  furnace  of  fire, 
where  will  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth."  And 
he  also  said,  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  as  if  a  man 
should  cast  seed  into  the  ground,  and  while  he  sleeps, 
and  rises  night  and  day,  the  seed  should  spring  up  and 
grow,  he  knows  not  how ;  for  the  earth  brings  forth 
of  itself,  first  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  after  that  the 
ripe  grain  in  the  ear.  But  when  the  grain  is  ripe,  im- 
mediately he  puts  in  the  sickle,  because  the  time  of 
hai-vest  has  come."  * 

Jesus  said  to  them,  "  Have  you  understood  all  these 
things?"     They  said  to  him,  "  Yes,  Teacher."     Then 

to  by  Solomon  (Prov.  ii.  4).  It  still  continues  in  Palestine, 
and  the  country  is  said  to  abound  in  hidden  treasure.  The 
right  of  treasure-trove  was  adjudged  by  Jewish  law  to  the 
buyer,  and  not  to  the  seller  of  the  field. 

A  net  cast  into  the  Sea.  —  The  great  drag  net  is  here  re- 
ferred to.  In  working  it  "  some  must  row  the  boat,  some  cast 
out  the  net,  some,  on  the  shore,  pull  the  rope  with  all  their 
strength,  others  throw  stones  and  beat  the  water  round  the 
ends,  to  frighten  the  fish  from  escaping,  and,  as  it  approaches 
the  shore,  all  must  be  active  in  holding  up  the  edges,  drawing 
it  to  the  land,  and  seizing  the  fish.  Then  the  fishermen  sit 
down,  gather  the  good  into  baskets,  and  cast  the  bad  away." 

*  Mark  iv.  26-34. 


STILLS    THE     STORM.  1 37 

he  said  to  them,  "  Every  one  instructed  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  is  Hke  the  master  of  a  household  who  brings 
out  of  his  storehouse  things  new  and  old."  * 

And  when  Jesus  had  finished  these  parables  he  de- 
parted thence. 

And  the  same  day  in  the  evening,  seeing  great  mul- 
titudes about  him,  he  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Let  us  go 
over  to  the  other  side  of  the  lake."  And  as  they  were 
in  the  way,  a  certain  Scribe  came  and  said  to  him, 
"  Lord,  I  will  follow  you  wherever  you  go."  And 
Jesus  said  to  him,  "Foxes  have  holes,  and  birds  of  the 
air  have  nests,  but  the  Son  of  Man  has  not  where  to 
lay  his  head."  And  he  said  to  another,  "  Follow 
me  ; "  but  the  man  answered,  "  Let  me  first  go  and 
bury  my  father."  Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Let  the  dead 
bury  their  dead,  but  go  you  and  preach  the  kingdom 
of  God."  And  another  also  said,  "  Lord  I  will  follow 
you,  but  let  me  first  go  and  bi*d  farewell  to  my  family." 
Jesus  answered,  "No  man  having  put  his  hand  to  the 
plough,  and  looking  back,  is  fit  for  the  kingdom  of 
God." 

And  w4ien  they  had  sent  away  the  multitude,  the 
disciples  took  him  with  them,  as  he  was  in  the  boat, 
to  cross  over  to  the  other  side.  And  there  came 
down  a  gi'eat  storm  on  the  lake,  and  the  waves  dashed 

A  great  storm  came  dotvn  on  the  Lake.  —  "To  understand," 
says  Dr.  Thomson,  "  the  causes  of  these  violent  tempests,  we 
must  remember  that  the  lake  lies  low,  —  six  hundred  feet 
lower  than  the  ocean,  —  that  the  vast  and  naked  plateaus  of 
Jaulan  rise  to  a  great  height,  spreading  backward  to  the 
wilds  of  Hauran,  and  upward  to  snowy  Hermon ;  that  the 
water-courses  have  cut  out  profound  ravines  and  wild  gorges, 

*Matt.  xiii.  24-52. 


138  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

over  the  boat,  so  that  they  were  in  jeopardy.  Jesus 
was  in  the  after  part  of  the  boat,  asleep  on  a  cushion, 
and  they  awoke  him,  sa3dng,  "  Lord  save  us,  we 
perish."  Then  he  arose,  and  rebuked  the  wind,  and 
said  to  the  sea,  "  Peace,  be  still."  And  the  wind 
ceased,  and  there  was  a  great  calm.  He  said  to  them, 
"Why  are  you  so  fearful?  How  is  it  that  you  have 
no  faith  ?  "  And  they  feared  exceedingly,  and  said  to 
one  another,  "  What  manner  of  man  is  this,  that  even 
the  wind  and  the  sea  obey  him." 

And  when  they  had  arrived  at  the  other  side  of  the 
lake,  in  the  country  of  the  Gerasenes,  which   is  over 

converging  to  the  head  of  this  lake,  and  that  these  act  like 
gigantic  funnels  to  draw  down  the  winds  from  the  moun- 
tains." Mr.  N.  C.  Prime,  who  was  cast  away  in  a  small  boat 
in  a  sudden  storm  on  this  lake,  describes  the  scene  as  follows  : 
"  We  ran  three  or  four  miles  up  the  west  coast  in  good  style, 
and  then  there  came  down  ofi  the  sea  such  a  storm  as  it  knew 
in  times  of  old.  It  was  sudden,  swift,  and  violent.  A  mo- 
ment before,  we  were  sailing  along  pleasantly  over  the 
rippling  water,  and  now  it  was  lashed  into  foam  by  a  fierce 
blast  that  literally  came  down  into  the  basin,  and  ploughed 
up  the  waters  into  deep  and  difficult  furrows.  I  did  not  be- 
lieve it  possible  that  the  little  lake  could  get  up  such  a  sea  as 
now  rolled  and  tossed  us."  It  will  be  noticed  that  Luke  also 
says  that  "the  storm  came  down  on  the  lake."  This  is  one 
of  those  instances  of  truthful  local  coloring  in  which  the 
gospel  narratives  abound. 

The  Cotcjitry  of  the  Gerasines.  —  In  speaking  of  the  local- 
ity of  this  miracle.  Dr.  Thomson  remarks  :  "  In  this  Gersa,  or 
Chersa,  we  have  a  position  which  fulfils  every  requirement  of 
the  narratives,  and  with  a  name  so  near  that  in  Matthew  as  to 
be,  in  itself,  a  strong  corroboration  of  the  truth  of  this  iden- 
tification. It  is  within  a  few  rods  of  the  shore,  and  an 
immense  mountain  rises  directly  above  it,  in  which  ai-e  ancient 


CURES    TWO    DEMONIACS.  I39 

against  Galilee,  there  met  him,  as  he  landed  from  the 
boat,  two  men  possessed  with  demons,  coming  out  of 

tombs,  out  of  some  of  which  the  two  men,  possessed  of  the 
devils,  may  have  issued  to  meet  Jesus.  The  lake  is  so  near 
the  base  of  the  mountain  that  the  swine,  rushing  madlj  down 
it,  could  not  stop,  but  would  be  hurried  on  into  the  water  and 
drowned.  The  place  is  one  which  our  Lord  would  be  likely 
to  visit,  having  Capernaum  in  full  view  to  the  north,  and 
Galilee  "  over  against  it,"  as  Luke  says  it  was  (Luke  viii. 
26).  The  name,  moreover,  pronounced  by  Bedawin  Arabs  is 
so  similar  to  Gergasa,  that  to  all  my  inquiries  for  this  place 
they  invaribly  said  it  was  at  Chersa,  and  they  insisted  that 
they  were  identical,  and  I  agree  with  them  in  their  opinion. 
Everywhere  [else],  along  the  north-eastern  and  eastern  shores, 
a  smooth  beach  declines  gently  down  to  the  water.  But  take 
your  stand  a  little  south  of  this  Chersa.  A  great  herd  of 
swine,  we  will  suppose,  is  feeding  on  this  mountain  that 
towers  above  it.  Thej'^  are  seized  with  a  sudden  panic,  rush 
madly  down  the  almost  perpendicular  declivity,  those  behind 
tumbling  over  and  thrusting  forward  those  before,  and,  as 
there  is  neither  time  nor  space  to  recover  on  the  narrow  shelf 
between  the  base  and  the  lake,  they  are  crowded  headlong 
into  the  water,  and  perish.  All  is  perfectly  natural  just  at 
this  point,  and  here,  I  suppose  it  did  occur.  Farther  south 
the  plain  becomes  so  broad  that  the  herd  might  have  recov- 
ered and  recoiled  from  the  lake,  whose  domains  they  would 
not  willingly  invade."  Gersa  was  a  small  place  and  unknown, 
while  Gadara,  —  located  some  sixteen  miles  distant,  —  was  a 
large  Greek  city  celebrated  for  its  temples,  theatres,  and  warm 
baths.  Therefore  Mark  and  Luke,  writing  for  Greeks,  spoke 
of  the  country  of  the  Gadarenes,  while  Matthew,  writing  for 
the  Jews,  spoke  of  that  of  the  Gergasenes.  One  district  in- 
cluded the  other,  and  hence  there  is  no  contradiction  in  the 
accounts,  but  a  natural  adaptation  to  those  for  whom  they 
were  written. 

Two  men  possessed  with  Demons.  —  Matthew  mentions  two, 
while  Mark  and  Luke  speak  of  only  one.     It  was  a  maxim 


140  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

the  tombs  where  they  had  their  dwelHng.     They  were 

of  LeClerc  that,  "He  who  speaks  of  two,  includes  also  the 
one ;  he  who  mentions  only  one,  does  not  deny  the  two." 
Matthew  is  general  in  his  description ;  Mark  and  Luke  more 
detailed  and  graphic;  and  these  peculiarities  run  through 
their  entire  narratives.  The  Jews  attributed  nearly  all 
nervous  disorders  to  demonical  possession,  and  the  Moham- 
medans of  the  present  day  hold  the  same  opinion.  Dr. 
Thomson,  in  his  very  valuable  work,  "The  Land  and  the 
Book,"  referring  to  this  subject,  says:  "In  Sidon  there  are 
cases  of  epileptic  fits  Avhich,  in  external  manifestations,  closely 
resemble  that  mentioned  in  Mark  ix.  iS,  Matthew  xvii.  15, 
and  Luke  ix.  38.  These  fits  have  seized  a  young  man  in  my 
house,  repeatedly ;  And  lo !  the  spirit  taketh  him,  and  he 
suddenly  crieth  out,  and  foameth  at  the  mouth,  and  gnasheth 
with  his  teeth,  and  is  cast  down  wherever  he  may  be  seized, 
and  pineth  away  until  you  would  think  he  was  actually  dead. 
Matthew  calls  him  a  lunatic,  but  according  to  Mark  it  was  a 
dumb  spirit.  And  there  are  cases  in  which  the  disease  ac- 
companies, if  it  does  not  occasion,  dumbness.  The  instance 
mentioned  in  Mark  v.  2-16,  and  Luke  viii.  26-36,  was  most 
remarkable,  but  there  are  some  very  similar  at  the  present 
day,  —  furious  and  dangerous  maniacs,  who  wander  about  the 
mountains  and  sleep  in  dens  and  caves.  In  their  worst  par- 
oxysms they  are  quite  unmanageable,  and  prodigiously 
strong.  It  is  one  of  the  most  common  traits  of  this  madness 
that  the  victims  refuse  to  wear  clothes.  I  have  often  seen 
them  absolutely  naked  in  the  streets  of  Beriut  and  Sidon. 
There  are  also  cases  in  which  they  run  wildly  about  the 
country,  and  frighten  the  whole  neighborhood.  It  would  cer- 
tainly be  rash  to  decide  that  this  calamity  is  the  work  of  evil 
spirits;  and  yet  the  manifestations  are  so  inhuman  and 
Satanic,  and  the  real  causes  so  mysterious,  that  I  am  not 
much  disposed  to  dispute  the  point  with  the  natives  of  the 
country,  Avho  ascribe  the  mischief  to  supernatural  agency." 

Out  of  the   Tombs.  —  Burckhardt  speaks  of  finding  in  the 
immediate  neighborhood  where  this   miracle  is  supposed  to 


CURES    TWO     DEMONIACS.  I4I 

exceedingly  fierce,  so  that  no  one  could  pass  that  way ; 
and  one  of  them  had  been  possessed  a  long  time,  and 
wore  no  clothes,  and  could  not  be  bound,  not  even 
with  chains  ;  for  chains  and  fetters  had  often  been  put 
upon  him,  but  he  had  snapped  the  chains  asunder,  and 
broken  the  fetters  in  pieces.  And  no  man  could  master 
him  ;  and  always  night  and  day,  he  was  out  in  the 
mountains  and  in  the  tombs,  crying  out,  and  cutting 
himself  with  stones.  But  w^hen  he  saw  Jesus  afar  off", 
he  ran  to  him,  and,  falling  at  his  feet,  cried  with  a  loud 
voice,  "Jesus,  Son  of  the  Most  High  God!  I  adjure 
thee  by  God,  torment  me  not!"  Jesus  asked  him, 
"What  is  your  name?"  for  he  was  about  to  say  to  the 
foul  spirit,  "  Come  out  of  the  man  !  "  He  answered, 
"  Legion  ;  for  we  are  many."  Now  there  was  near,  on 
the  mountains,  a  great  herd  of  swine  feeding,  and  all 

have  occurred,  the  ruins  of  many  large  tombs.  Some  of 
them  were  natural  caves,  and  others  recesses  hewn  out  of  the 
soHd  rock,  with  cells  on  their  sides  for  the  reception  of  the 
dead,  and  often  so  large  as  to  be  supported  with  columns. 
They  would  thus  afford  ample  shelter,  and  their  tenants 
would  not  be  molested,  for  the  Jews  regarded  all  such  places 
as  unclean.  At  the  present  day,  the  ruins  of  ancient  tombs, 
are  often  resorted  to  for  shelter  by  the  Bedawins. 

A  herd  of  Sxvine.  —  By  the  Law  of  Moses  swine  were 
unclean,  and  the  touch  of  them,  when  dead,  defiled  a  man ; 
but  the  owner  of  this  herd  bred  them,  probablj^,  for  sale  to 
the  Gentiles.  The  eating  of  their  flesh  is  generally  supposed 
to  cause  cutaneous  diseases  in  hot  countries,  and  hence, 
among  a  people  so  liable  to  leprosy  as  the  Jews,  there  was 
reason  for  its  prohibition  as  food.  It  has  been  said  that 
Jesus,  by  this  miracle,  caused  a  wanton  destruction  of  prop- 
erty; but  to  this  it  may  be  answered  that  the  owner  of  the 
swine,  if  a  Jew,  —  and  Josephus  says  there  were  multitudes 


142  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

the  demons  earnestl}^  entreated  Jesus  not  to  send 
them  out  of  the  country  nor  into  the  abyss,  but  into 
the  herd  of  swine.  He  gave  them  leave  immediately, 
and  the  foul  spirits  left  the  men,  and  went  into  the 
swine  ;  and  the  whole  herd  —  about  two  thousand  — 
rushed  violently  down  a  steep  place  into  the  sea,  and 
were  drowned  in  the  lake.  And  those  that  kept  the 
swine  fled,  and  told  what  had  befallen  them  in  the 
city  and  in  the  country.  The  inhabitants  then  went 
out  to  see  what  had  been  done  ;  and  coming  to  Jesus, 
they  saw  the  possessed  man  —  he  that  had  the 
legion  —  sitting  at  his  feet,  clothed,  and  in  his  right 
mind.  And  those  who  had  seen  told  them  by  what 
means  the  possessed  man  had  been  healed,  and  also 
how  it  w^as  about  the  swine.  Then  all  the  people  of 
the  neighborhood  besought  Jesus  to  leave  them ;  for 
they  were  seized  with  terror.  And  when  he  was 
going  into  the  boat,  the  man  out  of  whom  the  demons 
had  gone,  begged  to  go  with  him  ;  but  Jesus  sent  him 
away,  saying,  "  Go  home  to  your  friends,  and  tell  them 
what  God,  in  his  compassion,  has  done  for  you."     And 

of  hellenistic  Jews  in  that  region,  —  deserved  punishment  for 
violating  the  Levitical  Law.  If  he  were  not  a  Jew,  what 
worse  was  the  drowning  of  two  thousand  swine,  than  the 
sweeping  off,  by  murain  and  the  rhinderpest,  of  multitudes 
of  cleaner  brutes?  and  this  Providence  does  at  its  pleasure. 

Out  of  the  Country.  —  It  was  the  opinion  of  the  Jews,  as 
appears  from  Daniel  x.  13,  20,  that  different  evil  spirits  pre- 
side over  distinct  regions ;  and  it  is  a  superstition  as  old  as 
man,  that  "ghosts"  haunt  the  places  of  their  earthly  abode. 

The  Abyss.  —  It  is  a  noticable  fact  that  the  demons  Avhom 
Jesus  expelled,  expressed  a  dread  of  being  sent  into  the 
"  abyss,"  or  of  being  "  tormented  before  the  time." 


MATTHEW'S    FEAST.  I43 

the  man  went,  and  published  throughout  DecapoHs 
the  great  work  that  Jesus  had  done,  and  all  wondered. 
And  when  Jesus  had  passed  over  again  to  the  other 
side,  many  people  gathered  together,  and  received 
him  gladly  ;  for  all  were  waiting  for  him. 

And  Matthew  made  Jesus  a  feast  in  his  house,  and 
a  great  company  of  tax-gatherers  and  others  were 
there  at  table  with  him  and  his  disciples.  And  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  seeing  him  eating  with  these 
tax-gatherers  and  sinners,  said  to  his  disciples,  "  How 
is  it  that  he  eats  and  drinks  with  tax-gatherers  and 
sinners?"  Jesus,  hearing  this,  said  to  them,  "The 
whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  those  that  are  sick. 
Go  you  and  learn  what  this  means.  '  I  would  have 
mercy,  and  not  sacrifices.'  I  came  not  to  call  the 
righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance." 

Then  came  to  him  the  disciples  of  John,  saying, 
"Why,  wdien  we  and  the  Pharisees  fast  often,  do 
not  your  disciples  fast?"  Jesus  said  to  them,  "  Can 
the  friends  of  the  bridegroom  mourn,  so  long  as 
the  bridegroom  is  with  them?  But  the  days  are 
coming  when  the  bridegroom  will  be  taken  from 
them,  and  then  they  will  fast.  No  one  puts  a  piece 
of  new  cloth  upon  an  old  garment,  for  it  will  tear  away 

The  Pharisees  fast  often.  —  They,  and  the  more  religious 
among  the  Jews,  fasted  twice  a  week;  on  Mondays  and 
Thm-sdays.  It  appears  that  this  discourse  took  place  on 
Monday,  and  therefore  Jesus  gave  especial  offence  to  the 
Pharisees  by  feasting  with  tax-gatherers  on  a  day  when  they 
held  that  a  good  man  should  fast. 

Nevj  Cloth.  —  Undressed  cloth  fresh  from  the  loom  shrinks 
when  it  becomes  wet,  and  then  draws  up  and  tears  away 
from  the  old. 


144  ~  LIFE   OF  JESUS. 

from  the  garment,  and  the  rent  will  be  made  worse ; 
nor  do  men  put  new  wine  into  old  skins ;  for  the  skins 
will  burst,  the  wine  run  out,  and  the  skins  perish  ;  but 
they  put  new  wine  into  new  skins,  and  both  are  pre- 
served. Also,  no  one  having  drunk  of  old  wine  at 
once  desires  new,  for  he  says  '  the  old  is  better.'  * 

While  he  was  speaking  these  things,  and  many 
people  were  collected  about  him,  there  came  one 
of  the  rulers  of  the  Synagogue,  named  Jairus,  who 
had  an  only  daughter,  about  twelve  years  old,  who 
lay  dying.  As  soon  as  he  saw  Jesus  he  fell  at  his 
feet,  and  earnestly  besought  him,  saying,  "  My  little 
daughter  lies  at  the  point  of  death.  Come,  lay  your 
hand  upon  her,  and  she  will  live." 

Jesus  went  with  the  ruler,  and  so  did  his  disciples, 
and  a  great  multitude  followed.  And  a  certain  wo- 
man who  had  a  flowing  of  blood  for  twelve  years, 
and  had  suffered  much  from  many  physicians,  — 
spending  all  that  she  had  without  being  bettered,  but 
rather  growing  worse,  —  having  heard  of  Jesus,  came 
behind  in  the  throng,  and  touched  the  fringe  of  his 
garment ;  for  she  said  to  herself,  "  If  I  but  touch  his 
garment,   I  shall  be  made   well."     And  at  once   the 

New  Skins.  —  Goat  skins  are  still  used  in  eastern  countries 
for  holding  and  transporting  liquids.  Thej  were  common 
among  botli  Jews  and  Romans.  Those  for  wine  had  the  hair 
on  the  inside,  and  the  outside  was  coated  with  pitch ;  those 
for  water  had  the  hair  on  the  outside.  From  long  usage,  the 
skins  become  tender,  and  swell  and  burst  if  filled  with  new 
wine,  which  soon  ferments ;  so  would  it  be,  Jesus  sajs,  if  his 
new  truths  were  inclosed  in  the  old  system  of  the  Pharisees. 

Fringe  of  his   Garment.  —  This  was,  no  doubt,  the  square 

*Matt.  ix.  10-17.     Mark  ii.  15-22.     Luke  v.  29-39. 


THE    RAISING    OF    JAIRUS's    DAUGPITER.  1 45 

fountain  of  her  blood  was  dried  up,  and  she  felt  in  her 
body  that  she  was  cured  of  her  malady.  Jesus,  know- 
ing immediately  in  himself  that  power  had  gone  out 
of  him,  turned  to  the  multitude  and  said,  "  Who 
touched  my  garment?"  All  denied  having  done  so, 
and  Peter  and  those  with  him,  said,  "  Master,  the 
people  are  thronging  upon  you,  and  do  you  ask  '  Who 
touched  me?'"  Jesus  said,  "Somebody  has  touched 
me  ;  for  I  perceive  that  power  has  gone  out  of  me  ;  " 
and  he  looked  around  to  see  who  had  done  it.  Then 
the  woman,  seeing  that  she  was  discovered,  came  to 
him  trembling,  and  falling  at  his  feet  told,  before  all 
the  people,  wliy  she  had  touched  him,  and  how  she 
had  been  healed  immediately.  And  Jesus  said  to  her, 
"  Daughter,  be  of  good  comfort ;  your  faith  has  made 
you  whole  ;   go  in  peace." 

While  he  was  thus  speaking  one  came  from  the 
house  of  the  ruler  of  the  Synagogue,  and  said  to  him, 
"  Your  daughter  is  dead ;  trouble  not  the  master." 
But  when  Jesus  heard  this,  he  said,  '"Fear  not;  only 
have  faith,  and  all  will  be  well."  And  when  he  came 
to  the  house  he  allowed  no  one  to  go  in,  but  Peter 
and  James  and  John,  and  the  father  ajid  mother  of 
the  maiden.     And  the  minstrels  and  the  people  were 

garment  worn  over  the  shoulders,  and  called  elsewhere  a 
"  cloak."  It  was  surrounded  by  a  fringe,  and  at  its  four 
corners  were  tassels  of  threads  or  strings.  (See  Numbers  xv. 
38,39.  Deut.  XX.  II,  12.)  This  garment  was  peculiar  to  the 
Jews,  and  was  worn  to  distinguish  them  from  other  nations. 
The  Minstrels.  —  The  use  of  instruments  at  funerals  was 
of  heathen  origm,  and  was  not  introduced  until  compara- 
tively late  among  the  Jews.  These  were  professional  min- 
strels, who  were  employed  to  mourn  for  the  dead  in  a  frantic 
13 


146  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

weeping  and  bewailing  her,  but  he  said,  "  Weep  not ; 
she  is  not  dead,  but  sleeping."  And  they  laughed  in 
derision,  knowing  that  she  was  dead.  But,  putting 
them  all  out,  he  took  her  by  the  hand,  and  said,  "Maid, 
arise ; "  and  her  spirit  came  again,  and  she  arose 
at  once,  and  walked,  and  all  were  greatly  astonished. 
But  he  charged  them  strictly  that  no  one  should  know 
it,  and  directed  that  something  should  be  given  her  to 
eat.* 

When  Jesus  departed  thence  two  blind  men  fol- 
low^ed  him,  crying,  "  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on 
us."  And  when  he  had  entered  the  house,  the  blind 
men  came  to  him,  and  Jesus  said  to  them,  "  Believe 
you  that  T  am  able  to  do  this  ? "  They  said  to  him 
"Yea,  Lord."  Then  he  touched  their  eyes,  saying, 
"  According  to  your  faith  be  it  done  to  you."  And 
their  eyes  were  opened.  Jesus  strictly  charged  them 
to  tell  no  one  ;  but  they,  departing,  spread  it  abroad  in 
all  that  country.  As  they  went  out,  a  dumb  man, 
possessed  with  a  devil,  was  brought  to  him.  And 
when  the  devil  was  cast  out  the  dumb  man  spoke,  and 
the  multitude  mai"velled,  saying  it  was  never  so  seen 
in  Israel.  But  the  Pharisees  said,  "  He  casts  out  devils 
through  the  prince  of  devils." 

And  going  out  from  thence  with  his  disciples,  he 
came  into  his  own  town,  and  on  the  Sabbath  taught 
in  the  Synagogue,  and  many  who  heard  him  were 
astonished,  and  said,  "  Whence  has  this  man  these 
gifts?     And  what  wisdom  is  this  that  is  given  him, 

manner.  As  soon  as  one  died  the  mourning  began,  and  it 
was  kept  up  until  after  the  burial. 

*  Matthew  ix.  iS-36.     Mark  v.  22-43.     Luke  viii.  41-56. 


PREACHES  AGAIN  AT  NAZARETH.       1 47 

that  even  such  mighty  works  are  wrought  by  his 
hand?  Is  not  this  the  carpenter,  the  son  of  Mar}^, 
the  kinsman  of  James,  and  Joses,  and  Judah,  and 
Simon  ?  And  are  not  his  kinswomen  here  with  us  ?  " 
And  they  took  offence  at  him  ;  but  Jesus  said  to  them, 
"  A  prophet  is  not  without  honor,  except  in  his  own 
town,  and  among  his  own  kindred,  and  in  his  own 
family."  But  he  could  do  no  mighty  work  there, 
except  laying  his  hands  on  a  few  sick  people,  and 
healing  them  ;  and  he  wondered  at  their  unbelief. 

And  Jesus  went  through  all  the  cities  and  villages, 
teaching  in  the  synagogues,  and  preaching  the  glad 
tidings  of  the  kingdom,  and  healing  all  kinds  of  sick- 
ness and  diseases  among  the  people.  But  when  he 
saw  the  multitude,  he  said  to  his  disciples,  "  The 
hai*vest  truly  is  plenteous,  but  the  laborers  are  few. 
Pray  ye,  therefore,  the  Lord  of  the  han^est,  to  send 
forth  laborers  into  his  harvest."  Then  calling  the 
twelve  together  he  gave  them  power  over  all  foul 
sjDirits,  and  all  diseases,  and  sent  them  forth  two  by 
two,  saying,  "  Go  not  away  to  the  Gentiles,  nor  enter 
any  city  of  the  Samaritans.  But  go  rather  to  the  lost 
sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.  And  as  ye  go,  proclaim 
that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand.  Heal  the 
sick,  cleanse  the  lepers,  raise  the  dead,  cast  out  de- 
mons ;  freely  ye  have  received,  freely  give.  Provide 
neither  gold,  nor  silver,  nor  brass  in  your  girdles,  nor 
scrip  for  your  journey,  nor  two  coats,  nor  shoes,  —  but 

Girdles.  — Money  was  carried  in  a  sack  in  the  girdle  which 
confined  the  outer  garment  or  cloak. 

Nor  Scrip  for  your  Journey.  —  The  scrip  was  a  leather 
bag  hung  about  the  neck,  and  used  to  carry  food. 


148  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

be  shod  with  sandals,  —  nor  staves,  for  the  workman  is 
worthy  of  his  food.  And  in  whatever  city  or  town 
you  may  enter,  inquire  who  in  it  is  worthy,  and  with 
him  abide  till  you  go  thence.  And  when  you  enter  a 
house,  salute  it.  And  if  the  house  be  worthy,  your 
peace  will  come  upon  it ;  but  if  it  be  not  worthy  it 
will  return  to  you.  And  if  any  do  not  receive  you, 
nor  hear  your  words,  when  you  depart  out  of  that 
house,  shake  off  the  ver}'  dust  of  your  feet  for  a  testi- 
mony against  them.  Truly,  I  tell  you,  it  will  be  more 
tolerable  for  Sodom  and  Gormorrah  in  the  day 
of  judgment  than  for  that  city.  Lo  !  I  send  you  as 
sheep  into  the  midst  of  wolves  ;  be  therefore  wise  as 
serpents,  and  harmless  as  doves.  Beware  of  men,  for 
they  v^ill  deliver  you  to  the  councils,  and  will  scourge 
you  in  their  synagogues.  And  you  will  be  brought 
before  governors  and  kings  for  my  sake,  that  you  may 
bear  testimony  to  them  and  the  Gentiles.  But  when 
they  deliver  you  up,  be  not  anxious  how  or  what  you 

Nor  Shoes.  —  The  original  word  here  in  Matthew  might 
be  rendered  sandals,  if  Mark  did  not  say,  "but  be  shod  with 
sandals."  The  lower  class  of  people  commonly  wore  nothing 
on  the  feet ;  but  in  travelling  sandals  were  necessary,  and  on 
long  journeys,  and  in  winter,  a  kind  of  short  boot  or  shoe 
was  worn.  The  meaning  of  the  whole  passage  is  that  they 
were  not  to  take  forethought  or  make  provision,  as  ordinary 
travellers  would  do. 

Staves,  are  now  always  used  by  foot  travellers  over  the 
rocky  roads  of  Palestine,  to  support  them  in  slippery  places, 
and  for  defence  against  robbers ;  and  it  is  usual,  on  long 
journeys,  to  take  tvvo  lest  one  should  fail. 

Totir  Peace.  —  The  Jewish  form  of  salutation  was  "  Peace 
be  to  this  house."  It  is  still  retained  among  the  Turks,  and 
other  eastern  nations. 


THE    MISSION    OF   THE    TWELVE.  1 49 

shall  speak,  for  it  will  be  given  you  in  that  hour  what 
you  shall  speak  ;  for  it  is  not  you  who  will  speak,  but 
the  spirit  of  your  Father  who  will  speak  in  you. 
The  brother  will  deliver  up  his  brother,  and  the  father 
his  child,  and  children  will  rise  against  their  parents, 
and  cause  them  to  be  put  to  death  ;  and  you  will  be 
hated  by  all  men  for  my  sake  ;  but  he  who  endures  to 
the  end  will  be  saved.  When  they  persecute  you  in 
one  city,  flee  to  another,  for  truly  I  say  to  you,  you 
will  not  have  gone  through  the  cities  of  Israel  before 
the  Son  of  Man  will  come.  A  disciple  is  not  above  his 
teacher,  nor  a  servant  above  his  lord.  It  is  enough  for 
the  disciple  to  be  as  his  teacher,  and  the  servant  as  his 
lord.  If  they  have  called  the  master  of  the  house 
Beelzebub,  how  much  more  will  they  so  call  those  of 
his  household.  Fear  them  not,  then,  for  nothing  is 
covered  which  will  not  be  revealed,  nor  hidden  that 
will  not  be  made  known.  What  I  tell  you  in  darkness, 
preach  in  the  light,  and  what  is  whispered  in  your  ear, 
proclaim  upon  the  housetops  ;  and  fear  not  those  who 
kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul ;  rather 
fear  Him  who  can  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell. 
Are  not  two  sparrows  sold  for  a  farthing?  and  yet  not 
one  of  them  falls  to  the  ground  without  your  Father. 
The  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  numbered.  Fear 
not,  then,  you  are  of  more  value  than  many  sparrows. 
Whoever  shall  acknowledge  me  before  men,  him  will 
I  acknowledge  before  my  Father  in  heaven.  But 
whoever  shall  deny  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also 
deny  before  my  Father  in  heaven.  Think  not  that  I 
come  to  bring  peace  on  the  earth  ;  I  come  not  to  bring 
peace,  but  a  sword, —  to  set  a  son  against  his  father,  and 


150  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

a  daughter  against  her  mother,  and  a  daughter-in-law 
against  her  mother-in-law,  and  to  make  a  man's  foes 
those  of  his  own  household.  He  who  takes  not  his 
cross  and  follows  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me.  He  who 
loves  his  life,  will  lose  it,  and  he  who  loses  his  life  for 
my  sake,  will  save  it.  He  who  receives  you  receives 
me,  and  he  who  receives  me  receives  him  who  sent  me. 
He  that  receives  a  prophet,  because  he  is  a  prophet, 
will  receive  a  prophet's  reward  ;  and  he  who  receives 
a  righteous  man,  because  he  is  a  righteous  man,  will 
receive  a  righteous  man's  reward.  And  whoever  gives 
only  a  cup  of  cold  water  to  one  of  my  little  ones,  be- 
cause he  is  my  disciple,  truly  I  say  to  you,  he  shall 
not  fail  of  his  reward." 

And  when  Jesus  had  finished  these  teachings  to  his 
twelve  disciples,  he  departed  thence  to  teach  and  to 
preach  in  their  cities.  And  the  disciples  went  forth 
and  preached  that  men  should  repent.  And  they  cast 
out  many  demons,  and  anointed  with  oil  many  that 
were  sick,  and  healed  them.* 

Now  Herod,  on  his  birthday,  gave  a  great  entertain- 

He  ivho  takes  not  his  Cross. — The  condemned  man  was 
obliged  to  bear  his  cross  to  the  place  of  execution.  Jesus  tells 
his  disciples  that  they  must  be  prepared  to  submit  to  a  death 
of  torture  and  ignominy.  An  impostor  would  not  have 
promised  such  rewards  to  his  followers. 

Herod.,  Tetrarch  of  Galilee,  and  son  of  Herod  the  Great. 
Shortly  after  this  event  he  was  defeated  by  Aretas,  with 
whom  he  was  then  at  war,  and  this  the  Jews  regarded  as  a 
just  punishment  fur  his  execution  of  John.  Shortly  after  the 
death  of  Jesus  he  was    deprived  of  his   government  by  the 

♦Matt.  ix.  35-38;  X.  I,  5,  42;  xii.    Mark  vi.  6-13.    Luke  ix.  1-6. 


DEATH    OF  JOHN    THE    BAPTIST.  I51 

ment  to  his  lords  and  chief  captains,  and  the  principal 
men  of  Galilee.  And  the  daughter  of  Herodias  came 
in  and  danced  before  them,  and  pleased  Herod  and 
his  guests  so  much,  that  Herod  said  to  the  damsel, 
"Ask  of  me  whatever  you  will,  and  I  will  give  it 
you  ; "  and  he  affirmed  with  an  oath,  "  Whatever  you 
ask  of  me  I  will  give,  to  the  half  of  my  kingdom." 
And  going  out,  she  said  to  her  mother,  "  What  shall 
I  ask?"  And  her  mother  answered,  "The  head 
of  John  the  Baptist."  And  coming  directly  with 
haste  to  Herod,  she  said,  "  I  will  that  3^ou  give  me  in 
a  charger,  the  head  of  John  the  Baptist."  And  the 
king  was  greatly  troubled,  yet  on  account  of  his  oath, 
and  the  guests  who  were  with  him,  he  would  not 
refuse  her,  but  sent  immediately  one  of    his   guards 

Romans,  and  with  Herodias  was  sent  into  perpetual  banish- 
ment. The  daughter  of  Herodias  —  Salome  —  is  said  to  have 
met  with  a  violent  and  untimely  death. 

The  Chief  Captains  —  were  the  commanders  of  a  thousand 
men. 

The  Head  of  jfohfi. — Josephus  attributes  John's  execu- 
tion to  Herod's  fear  of  his  fomenting  sedition  among  the 
people.  Probably  John's  announcement  that  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  was  at  hand, — which  by  the  Jews  was  understood  to 
be  a  temporal  kingdom,  —  had  created  much  excitement,  and 
a  disposition  to  rise  against  the  Roman  power;  therefore 
Herod  would  naturally  regard  him  as  a  dangerous  man,  and 
one  likely  to  bring  him  into  difficulty  with  the  Romans.  He 
no  doubt  looked  upon  Jesus  in  the  same  light,  and  his  re- 
mark, "  It  is  John,"  etc.,  probably  means  that  he  thought  him 
only  another  exciter  of  sedition — John  the  Baptist  come  back 
again.  From  these  considerations  it  is  likely  that  Herod 
really  desired  the  death  of  John,  and  that  the  occurrence 
narrated  in  the  text  was  a  mere  pretext  for  putting  him  out 
of  the  way. 


152  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

with  orders  to  bring  the  head  of  John.  So  the  guard 
went  and  beheaded  John  in  prison,  and  brought  his 
head  in  a  charger,  and  gave  it  to  the  damsel,  and  she 
gave  it  to  her  mother.  And  John's  disciples  when 
they  heard  of  it  came,  and  taking  the  body,  laid  it  in  a 
tomb,  and  then  went  and  told  Jesus.* 

Now  the  fame  of  Jesus  had  spread  abroad,  and 
Herod,  hearing  of  the  works  that  were  done  by  him, 
was  much  perplexed,  and  said  to  his  attendants,  "John 
I  have  beheaded  ;  but  who  is  this  of  whom  I  hear 
such  things?"  And  some  answered,  "It  is  John 
risen  from  the  dead  ; "  and  others  said,  "  It  is  Elijah, 
who  has  reappeared  ;"  others,  "One  of  the  old  proph- 
ets has  risen  again."  But  Herod  himself  said,  "It  is 
John  ?  He  is  risen  from  the  dead  !  "  and  he  desired 
to  see  Jesus. t 

And  the  Apostles  returned,  and  collecting  about 
Jesus,  told  him  of  all  they  had  seen  and  heard,  and 
w^hat  they  had  taught.  And  he  said  to  them,  "  Come 
apart  by  yourselves  into  some  desert  place,  and  rest 
awhile  ;"  for  many  were  coming  and  going,  and  they 
had  no  leisure,  not  even  to  eat.  And  they  v^ent  pri- 
vately in  a  boat  over  the  sea  of  Galilee,  to  a  desert 
place   belonging   to    the    city  called   Bethsaida.     But 

Desert  ;place  belo7iging  to  Bethsaida. — There  was,^it  is 
supposed,  a  Bethsaida  on  the  west  of  the  lake,  near  to  Ca- 
pernaum and  Chorazin,  and  probably,  as  the  name  denotes, 
close  to  the  water's  edge,  and  this  place  it  is  thought,  was  the 
native  town  of  Andrew,  Peter,  and  Philip.  But  there  was  also 
another  town  of  the  same  name,  —  called  Bethsaida  Julius,  — 

*  Matt.  xiv.  6-13.     Mark  vi.  21-29. 
fMatt.  xiv.  I,  2.     Mark  vi.  14-16.     Luke  14. 


THE    FEEDING    OF    THE    FIVE    THOUSAND. 


153 


many  saw  and  knew  them  as  they  were  going,  and 
ran  together  there  on  foot,  from  all  the  cities,  and 
came  before  them,  because  they  had  seen  the  miracles 
he  had  done  on  those  that  were  diseased.  And  Jesus, 
when  he  came  out  of  the  boat,  saw  the  multitude,  and 
was  moved  with  compassion  toward  them,  because 
they  were  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd ;  and  going 
up  into  a  mountain,  he  sat  down  with  his  disciples, 
and  taught  the  people  many  things  about  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  healed  such  as  had  need  of  healing. 

And  when  the  day  began  to  wear  away,  his  disciples 
said  to  him,  "  This  is  a  desert  place,  and  now  the  day 
is  far  gone  ;  send  the  peojDle  away  that  they  may  go 
into  the  country  round  about,  and  into  the  villages,  and 
buy  themselves  bread ;  for  they  have  nothing  to  eat." 
Jesus  answered,  "  They  need  not  depart.  Give  them 
to  eat ; "  but  they  said,  "  Shall  we  go  and  buy  two  hun- 
dred denaries  worth  of  bread  ?  "  And  he  said  to  them, 
"  How  many  loaves  have  you?     Go  and  see."     When 

at  the  north-eastern  extremity  of  the  lake,  and  this  was  no 
doubt  the  scene  of  the  miracle,  for  Luke  says  they  crossed, 
after  the  event,  '•  to  Bethsaida,  in  the  land  of  Gennesareth." 
The  supposed  scene  of  the  miracle  is  a  desert  place,  now 
called  Buthiha,  and  is  not  far  from  the  site  of  the  town.  At 
its  south-east  corner  a  bleak,  barren  mountain  shuts  down 
upon  the  lake,  and  the  place  is  not  capable  of  cultivation. 
A  little  cove  is  in  its  front,  where  boats  could  be  moored,  and 
a  beautiful  sward,  on  which  five  thousand  could  be  gathered, 
crosses  the  foot  of  the  rocks.  The  description  of  the  locality 
agrees  perfectly  with  the  requirements  of  the  Gospel  narra- 
tives. 

Tiuo  hundred  Denaries. — About  twenty-seven  dollars;  in 
those  days  a  large  sum,  and  probably  more  than  the  disciples 
had  in  their  possession. 


154  L^^^  ^^  JESUS. 

they  were  gone,  he  said  to  Philip,  "  Whence  shall  we 
buy  bread,  that  these  may  eat?  "  This  he  said  to  try 
him,  for  he  had  determined  what  to  do.  Philip  ans- 
wered, "  Two  hundred  denaries  worth  of  bread  would 
not  be  enough  for  every  one  of  them  to  have  a  little." 
One  of  his  disciples,  Andrew,  Simon  Peter's  brother, 
said  to  him,  "  There  is  a  lad  here  who  has  five  barley 
loaves,  and  two  small  fishes  ;  but  what  are  those  among 
so  many."  Then  Jesus  said,  "Make  them  all  recline  in 
companies  of  fifties,  on  the  grass,  and  bring  the  loaves 
and  fishes  here  to  me."  Now  there  was  much  grass  in 
the  place  ;  so  the  men  arranged  themselves  in  ranks, 
by  hundreds  and  fifties.  And  Jesus  took  the  loaves, 
and  looking  up  to  heaven,  he  gave  thanks,  and  dis- 
tributed them  to  the  disciples,  and  the  disciples  to  those 
who  were  on  the  ground,  and  likewise  of  the  fishes,  as 
much  as  they  desired.  When  all  had  eaten,  and 
were  satisfied,  he  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Gather  up  the 
fragments  that  nothing  be  lost."  Then  they  gathered 
them  together,  and  filled  twelve  baskets  with  the  frag- 
ments of  the  five  barley  loaves,  and  two  small  fishes 
which  remained  over  and  above  after  the  people  had 
eaten.  And  the  number  that  had  eaten  was  five  thou- 
sand men,  beside  women  and  children.    The  multitude, 

Barley  Loaves.  —  Barley  was  only  of  about  one  third  the 
value  of  wheat.  The  loaves  were  made  thin  and  brittle,  and 
were,  therefore,  broken  and  not  cut. 

Baskets.  —  It  was  customary  for  the  Jews  on  a  journey,  to 
carry  small  flag  baskets,  slung  over  the  shoulder,  to  hold 
their  provisions,  as  there  were  then  few  inns,  and  they  could 
not  eat  with  Gentiles  without  pollution.  Tacitus  says  that  a 
flag-basket  and  a  bundle  of  straw  was  the  entire  household 
furniture  of  a  Jew. 


WALKS    ON    THE    LAKE.  1 55 

when  they  saw  this  miracle  said,  "  This  is  of  a  truth 
the  prophet  who  was  to  come  into    the  world."  * 

Then  Jesus,  perceiving  that  they  were  about  to  take 
him  by  force  to  proclaim  him  king,  constrained  his 
disciples  to  go  before  him  to  Bethsaida,  w^hile  he 
withdrew  to  the  mountains  alone.  And  when  it  was 
evening,  his  disciples  went  down  to  the  lake,  and 
going  on  board  the  boat,  set  sail  toward  Capernaum  ; 
and  the  boat  was  in  the  midst  of  the  lake,  and  Jesus 
alone  upon  the  land.  And  he  saw  them  toiling  at 
the  oars,  for  the  wind  was  contrary,  and  the  waves 
had  risen  by  reason  of  a  great  wind  that  blew.  And 
about  the  fourth  watch  of  the  night,  when  they  had 
rowed  five  and  twenty  or  thirty  furlongs,  Jesus  went 
to  them,  walking  on  the  sea ;  and  when  he  drew 
near,  they  thought  it  was  an  apparition  and  cried 
out ;  for  all  saw  him,  and  were  terrified ;  but  imme- 
diately he  said,  "  Be  of  good  cheer.  It  is  I.  Be  not 
afraid." 

Then  Peter  said  to  him,  "  Lord,  if  it  be  thou,  bid 
me  come  to  thee  on  the  water."  And  Jesus  said, 
"  Come  ;  "  and  Peter  went  down  out  of  the  boat,  and 
walked  on  the  water  to  go  to  Jesus  ;  but  when  he  saw 
the  violence  of  the  wind  he  was  afraid,  and  beginning 
to  sink,  cried  out,  "  Lord,  save  me  ! "  And  imme- 
diately Jesus  stretched  out  his  hand,  and  caught  him, 
saying :  "  O  thou  of  little  faith,  wherefore  didst  thou 
doubt."     And  he  got  into  the  boat  with  them,  and  the 

About  the   Fourth    Watch.  — About   three   o'clock  in   the 
morning. 

*Matt.  xiv.  13-21.     Luke  vs..  10-17.    John  vi.  1-14. 


156  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

wind  ceased ;  and  they  were  beyond  measure  aston- 
ished, and  falling  down  at  his  feet  said,  "  Truly,  thou 
art  the  Son  of  God."  They  wondered,  notwithstand- 
ing the  miracle  of  the  loaves ;  for  they  were  slow  of 
understanding. 

Then  they  passed  over  and  drew  to  the  shore  in 
the  land  of  Gennesaret ;  and  when  they  had  left  the 
boat  the  people  heard  of  it,  and  ran  at  once  through 
that  whole  region,  and  brought  the  sick  in  beds  to 
the  place  where  he  w^as ;  and  whenever  he  entered  a 
village,  or  town,  or  hamlet,  they  laid  the  sick  in  the 
streets,  and  besought  him  to  let  them  touch  even  the 
fringe  of  his  garment,  and  all  who  touched  it  were 
made  well.* 

The  day  following  the  people  who  remained  on  the 
other  side  of  the  sea,  knew  that  there  had  been  only 
one  boat  there,  and  that  Jesus  had  not  gone  on  board 
of  it  with  his  disciples  ;  but  that  they  departed  alone. 
But  other  boats  from  Tibereas,  came  near  the  place 
where  they  had  eaten  the  bread,  after  the  Lord  had 

TJie  Land  of  Gennessarctk  —  extended  for  about  four  miles 
along  the  west  shore  of  the  lake,  and  had  an  average  breadth 
of  about  one  and  a  half  miles.  It  was  a  very  fertile,  thickly- 
settled  plain,  and  in  it  were  the  towns  Capernaum  and  Ti- 
berias. Jesus  appears  to  have  landed  not  far  from  Caper- 
naum;  for  he  soon  afterwards  entered  that  town,  ( John  vi. 

24.  59)- 

Laid  the  sick  in  the  Streets.  —  It  was  a  very  ancient  custom 
to  place  the  sick  on  the  sides  of  thoroughfares,  that  the  pass- 
ers-by might  communicate  to  them  the  remedies  which  had 
been  useful  to  themselves  in  like  cases.  From  this  custom,  it 
is  said,  arose  the  medical  art. 

Matt.  xiv.  13-21.     Mark  vi.  45-56.    John  vi.  15-21. 


DISCOURSE    AT     CAPERNAUM.  1 57 

given  thanks.  When,  therefore,  the  people  found  that 
neither  Jesus  nor  his  disciples  were  there,  they  went 
on  board  these  boats,  and  came  to  Capernaum,  seek- 
ing Jesus. 

And  having  found  him  on  that  side  of  the  sea,  they 
said  to  him,  "Rabbi,  when  came  you  here?"  Jesus 
answered  them,  "  Truly,  truly,  I  say  to  you.  You 
seek  me,  not  because  you  saw  the  miracles ;  but 
because  you  ate  of  the  loaves  and  were  filled.  Labor 
not  for  the  food  which  perishes,  but  for  that  which 
endures  to  everlasting  life,  which  the  Son  of  Man  will 
give  you  ;  for  on  him  the  Father,  even  God,  has  set 
his  seal." 

Then  they  said  to  him,  "  What  shall  we  do  to  work 
the  works  of  God?"  Jesus  answered,  "This  is  the 
work  of  God,  that  you  have  faith  in  him  whom  he  has 
sent."  Then  they  said  to  him,  "  What  sign  do  you 
show  that  we  may  believe  ?  What  do  you  do,  —  our 
fathers  ate  manna  in  the  desert,  as  it  is  written  ;  '  He 
gave  them  bread  from  heaven  to  eat.' "  Then  said 
Jesus  to  them,  "  Moses  gave  you  not  the  bread  from 
heaven  ;  but  my  Father  is  giving  you  the  true  bread 
from  heaven  ;  for  the  bread  of  God  is  that  which  is 
coming  down  from    heaven ;   and   giving   life  to  the 

What  sign  do  you  show.  —  On  other  occasions  the  Jews  had 
asked  for  a  sign  from  the  visible  heaven  —  vsrhich  they  sup- 
posed the  dwelling  of  God,  —  thus  showing  that  they  ex- 
pected some  extraordinary  physical  phenomena  would  attend 
the  coming  of  the  Messiah.  They  now  say  to  Jesus,  in  eifect, 
''We  have  eaten  of  the  loaves,  —  they  were  earthly  food; 
but  Moses  gave  us  manna  (bread)  from  heaven  to  eat.  What 
like  this  do  you  do  ? "  Tn  view  of  this  expectation  his  answer 
has  peculiar  force. 


158  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

world."  Then  said  they  to  him,  "  Lord,  evermore 
give  us  this  bread."  Jesus  said  to  them,  "  I  am 
the  bread  of  Hfe  ;  he  v/ho  comes  to  me  will  never 
hunger,  and  he  who  believes  in  me  will  never  thirst ; 
but,  as  I  have  said  to  you,  although  you  have  seen  me, 
you  have  not  believed.  All  whom  the  Father  gives 
to  me  will  come  to  me,  and  he  that  comes  to  me,  I 
will  in  no  wise  cast  out;  —  for  I  came  dowrl  from 
heaven  not  to  do  my  own  will,  but  the  will  of  him  who 
sent  me.  And  this  is  the  will  of  him  who  sent  me, 
that  of  all  he  has  given  me  I  should  lose  none,  but 
should  raise  every  one  in  the  last  day.  This  I  say 
is  the  will  of  him  who  sent  me,  that  every  one  who 
sees  the  Son,  and  believes  on  him,  should  have  eternal 
life.  And  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day."  The 
Jews  then  murmured  at  him,  because  he  said,  "  I  am 
he  who  came  down  from  heaven."  And  they  said, 
"Is  not  this  man- Jesus,  the  son  of  Joseph,  whose 
father  and  mother  we  know?  How  is  it  then  that 
he  says,  'I  came  down  from  heaven?'"  Jesus  there- 
fore said  to  them,  "  Murmur  not  among  yourselves. 
No  man  can  come  to  me  unless  the  Father  who  sent 
me,  draw  him,  and  him  will  I  raise  up  at  the  last  day. 
It  is  written  in  the  prophets,  "  And  they  all  shall  be 
taught  of  God,"  every  one,  therefore,  who  hears,  and 
learns  of  the  Father,  comes  to  me.  Not  that  any 
one  has  seen  the  Father  except  he  who  is  of  God,  he 
has  seen  the  Father.  Truly,  truly,  I  say  to  you,  he 
that  believes  on  me  has  everlasting  life. 

"  I  am  the  bread  of  life.  Your  fathers  ate  the  manna 
in  the  desert,  and  are  dead  ;  but  if  any  man  eats  of  the 
bread   which    comes    down    from    heaven,    he    shall 


MANY    DISCIPLES    FALL    AWAY.  1 59 

not  die.  I  am  the  bread  which  came  down  from 
heaven;  —  if  any  man  eat  of  this  bread  he  shall  live 
forever ;  and  the  bread  that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh, 
which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world."  Then 
the  Jews  disputed  among  themselves,  saying,  "  How 
can  this  man  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat?"  And  Jesus 
said  to  them,  "  Truly,  truly,  I  say  to  you,  unless  you 
eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  drink  his  blood, 
you  have  no  life  in  you.  Whoever  eats  my  flesh,  and 
drinks  my  blood,  has  eternal  life  ;  and  I  will  raise 
him  up  in  the  last  day.  For  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed, 
and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed.  He  who  eats  my  flesh, 
and  drinks  my  blood,  abides  in  me  and  I  in  him.  As 
the  living  Father  has  sent  me,  and  I  live  by  the  Father  ; 
so  he  who  eats  me,  will  live  by  me.  This  is  that 
bread  which  came  down  from  heaven  ;  —  not  as  your 
fathers  ate  manna,  and  are  dead  ;  —  he  who  eats  of  this 
bread  will  live  forever." 

These  things  Jesus  said  as  he  taught  in  the  Syna- 
gogue at  Capernaum.  And  many  of  his  disciples, 
when  they  heard  him,  said,  ''  This  is  a  hard  saying, 
who  can  listen  to  it?"  But  Jesus,  knowing  in  himself 
that  his  disciples  w^ere  murmuring  at  his  words,  said 
to  them,  ''Does  this  give  you  oftence?  What  then, 
if  you  should  see  the  Son  of  Man  ascend  up  where  he 
was  before?  What  is  spiritual  gives  life,  the  flesh 
profits  nothing,  the  words  that  I  speak  to  you  are  spirit- 
ual, and  they  give  life  ;  but  there  are  some  of  you  who 
believe  not,"  —  for  Jesus  knew  from  the  beginning 
who  they  were  that  believed  not,  and  who  would  be- 
tray him.  And  he  said,  "  I  told  you  that  no  man  could 
come  to  me,  unless  it  were  given  him  from  my  Father." 


l6o  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

From  that  time  many  of  his  disciples  fell  away,  and 
went  with  him  no  longer.  Then  said  Jesus  to  the 
twelve,  "Would  you  also  go  away?"  Simon  Peter 
answered  him,  "  Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go  ;  you 
have  the  words  of  eternal  life  ;  we  believe  and  are 
sure  that  you  are  the  Holy  One  of  God."  Jesus  ans- 
wered, "  Have  not  I  chosen  you  twelve,  and  one  of  you 
is  a  slanderer?"  He  spake  of  Judas  Iscariot,  the  son  of 
Simon,  for  he  it  was  who  should  betray  him.  After 
these  things  Jesus  continued  in  Galilee,  for  he  would 
not  go  into  Judea,  because  the  Jews  sought  to  kill 
him.* 

Is  a  Slanderer.  — This  is  the  common  signification  of  the  ^ 

word   in  the   original.     It  was   used   by  the  Jews,  with   the  ^ 

article  prefixed,  for  Satan  :  but  here  the  word  lacks  the  article. 
And  it  is  not  probable  that  Jesus,  though  he  knew  Judas, 
would  so  early  in  his  ministry  have  applied  so  harsh  an 
epithet  as  "  he  hath  a  devil,"  to  one  whom  he  intended  should 
continue  with  him  to  the  end. 

*John  vi.  22-71 ;    vii.  i. 


PART     FIFTH. 

FROM    THE    THIRD    PASSOV^ER,    UNTIL    THE 

FINAL   DEPARTURE   OF   JESUS 

FROM    GALILEE. 

Time  —  Six  months. 


LIFE     OF    JESUS 


PART    FIFTH. 

THEN  certain  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  who 
had  come  from  Jerusalem,  came  to  Jesus,  and 
seeing  his  disciples  eat  with  defiled,  that  is  with  un- 
washed hands,  they  found  fault ; — for  the  Pharisees  and 
the  Jews  in  general,  holding  the  tradition  of  the  elders, 
never  eat  without  washing  their  hands.  And  on  com- 
ing from  market  they  do  not  eat  without  washing 
their  bodies,  and  many  other  such  observances  they 
have,  such  as  the  washing  of  cups,  and  pots,  and 
brazen  vessels,  and  the  couches  for  their  tables.  So 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  asked  him,  "  Why  do  your 
disciples  disregard  the  tradition  of  the  elders  ;  for  they 
eat  with  unwashed  hands?"  He  answered  them, 
"  And  why  do  you,  by  your  traditions,  set  aside  the 

Umvashed  Hajids.  —  On  this  subject  the  Pharisees  were 
particularly  scrupulous.  The  Talmud  tells  of  a  certain  Rabbi, 
who,  being  confined  in  prison  with  only  a  small  allowance 
of  water,  and  having  spilled  a  part,  chose  rather  to  die  of 
thirst  than  to  omit  washing  his  hands  with  the  remainder. 
It  also  says  that  "  Whoever  despises  the  washing  of  hands 
shall  be  rooted  out  of  the  world." 
(163) 


164  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

commands  of  God?  H3^pocrites !  well  do  the  words 
of  Isaiah  apply  to  you.  '  This  people  honor  me 
with  their  lips,  but  their  hearts  are  far  from  me.  But 
in  vain  do  they  worship  me,  teaching  for  truths  the 
commandments  of  men.'  For  you  neglect  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  and  hold  the  traditions  of  men, — 
the  washing  of  pots,  and  cups,  and  many  such  things. 
Ye  do  well !  putting  aside  the  commands  of  God,  to 
keep  your  own  traditions  !  Moses  said,  '  Honor  thy 
father  and  thy  mother,  and  whoe^-er  reviles  father  or 
mother  let  him  die  the  death.'  But  you  teach  that  a 
man  may  say  to  his  father  or  mother,  '  Whatever  I 
have  that  might  benefit  you  is  Corban,  (that  is,  a  gift 
to  God,)  and  you  permit  him  to  do  nothing  for  his 
father  or  mother  ;  thus  making  the  command  of  God 
of  no  effect,  through  your  traditions." 

Then  calling  all  the  people  to  him,  he  said,  "  Heark- 
en to  me,  all  of  you,  and  understand.  Nothing  which 
goes  into  a  man  from  without,  can  pollute  him  ;  but 
what  comes  from  him,  that  it  is  which  pollutes  the  man. 
If  any  one  has  ears  to  hear  let  him  hear." 

Then  his  disciples  came  to  him  and  said,  "  Know 
you,  that  the  Pharisees  were  offended  when  they  heard 
that  speech?"  But  he  answered,  "  Every  plant  which 
my  heavenly  Father  has  not  planted,  will  be  rooted 
up.  Let  them  alone  ;  they  are  blind  leaders  of  the 
blind ;  and  when  the  blind  lead  the  blind,  both  fall 
into  the  ditch." 

When  he  had  left  the  people  and  entered  the  house, 
Peter  and  the  other  disciples,  asked  him  concerning 
that  dark  saying.  And  he  said  to  them,  "  Are  you  too, 
60  dull  of  understanding?     Do  you  not  perceive  that 


THE    SYROPHENICIAN   WOMAN.  1 65 

nothing  from  without,  entering  a  man,  can  pollute 
him  ?  For  it  enters  not  his  mind,  but  his  body,  and 
its  impurity  is  cast  forth  ;  but  what  comes  from  a  man, 
that  pollutes  a  man,  for  from  within,  —  from  the  heart, 
come  evil  thoughts,  adulteries,  fornications,  murders, 
thefts,  covetousness,  wickedness,  deceit,  lasciviousness, 
an  evil  eye,  calumny,  pride,  madness.  All  these  evil 
things  come  from  within,  and  they  pollute  the  man  ; 
but  to  eat  with  unwashed  hands,  pollutes  not  a 
man."  * 

Then  Jesus  departed  thence,  and  went  to  the  coun- 
try about  Tyre  and  Sidon.  And  entering  a  house, 
he  would  have  remained  unknown,  but  could  not ;  for 
a  certain  woman,  —  a  Gentile,  a  Syrophenician  by 
nation,  —  whose  daughter  was  possessed  by  a  foul 
spirit,  hearing  of  him,  came  forth  to  meet  him,  cry- 
ing out,  "  Have  mercy  on  me,  O  Lord,  thou  Son  of 
David.  My  daughter  is  grievously  troubled  with  a 
demon."  But  he  answered  her  not  a  word,  and  his 
disciples  came  and  entreated  him  to  send  her  away,  for 
she  kept  ciying  after  them.  He  answered  :  "  I  am 
sent  to  only  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel." 
Then  the  woman  fell  at  his  feet,  saying,  "  Lord  help 
me."  And  he  answered  her,  "  It  is  not  right  to  take 
the  children's  bread,  and  cast  it  to  the  dogs."  But 
she  said,  "  Truth,  Lord,  yet  the  dogs  eat  of  the  crumbs 

Tyre  and  Sidon,  — were  on  the  shore  of  the  Mediterranean, 
and  not  within  the  jurisdiction  of  Herod. 

Syrophenicta, — was  the  name  of  the  region  about  Tyre 
and  Sidon. 

Dogs,  —  was  an  epithet  applied  by  the  Jews  to  all  Gentiles. 

*Matt.  XV.  1-20.     Mark  vii.  1-23. 


1 66  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

which  fall  from  their  master's  table."  Then  Jesus 
said  to  her,  "  O  woman,  great  is  your  faith  !  Be  it 
to  you  as  you  would.  The  demon  has  gone  out  of 
your  daughter."  And  returning  to  her  house,  she 
found  the  demon  gone  out,  and  her  daughter  laid 
upon  the  bed. 

Again,  departing  from  the  borders  of  Tyre  and 
Sidon,  Jesus  returned  to  the  sea  of  Galilee,  through 
the  midst  of  the  DecajDolis  ;  and  going  up  the  moun- 
tain he  seated  himself,  and  great  multitudes  came  to 
him,  having  with  them  those  that  were  lame,  blind, 
dumb,  maimed,  and  many  others  ;  and  they  laid  them 
down  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  he  healed  them.  And 
all  wondered  when  they  saw  the  dumb  speak,  the 
lame  walk,  the  blind  see,  and  the  maimed  restored ; 
and  they  gave  glory  to  the  God  of  Israel. 

And  one  was  brought  to  him  who  was  deaf  and  had 
an  impediment  in  his  speech  ;  and  they  besought  Jesus 
to  put  his  hand  upon  him.  And  taking  him  aside 
from  the  multitude  he  put  his  fingers  into  his  ears,  and 
spat  and  touched  his  tongue ;  and  looking  up  to 
heaven  and  sighing  deeply,  he  said  to  him  "  Ejohpha- 
tha,"  that  is,  "be  thou  opened."  And  at  once  his  ears 
were  opened,  and  his  tongue  loosed,  and  he  spoke 
plainly.  And  Jesus  charged  them  to  tell  no  one  ;  but 
the  more  he  charged  them,  the  more  a  great  deal  they 
proclaimed  it.  And  they  were  beyond  measure  as- 
tonished, and  said,  "  He  does  all  things  well,  —  he 
makes  both  the  deaf  to  hear,  and  the  dumb  to  speak." 

At  this  time,  the  multitude  being  very  great,  and 

The  evident  intention  of  Jesus  is  to  test  the  faith  of  the 
woman. 


FEEDING    OF    THE    FOUR    THOUSAND.  1 67 

having  nothing  to  eat,  Jesus  said  to  his  disciples,  "  I 
have  pity  on  the  people,  for  they  have  now  been  with 
me  three  days,  and  have  nothing  to  eat.  If  I  send 
them  home  fasting,  they  will  faint  by  the  way ;  for 
some  of  them  have  come  from  far."  His  disciples 
answered  "  How  in  this  desert  place  can  we  find 
food  for  so  many?"  And  he  asked,  "How  many 
loaves  have  you?"  They  said,  "Seven."  Then  he 
directed  the  people  to  recline  on  the  ground,  and 
taking  the  seven  loaves,  he  gave  thanks,  and  broke, 
and  distributed  them  to  his  disciples,  to  set  before 
them.  And  they  did  so.  And  they  had  a  few  small 
fishes ;  and  giving  thanks,  he  directed  that  these  also 
should  be  set  before  them.  And  the  people  ate  till 
they  were  satisfied ;  and  the  disciples  took  up  of  the 
broken  food  that  remained  seven  basketsful.  And  the 
number  that  had  eaten  was  about  four  thousand, 
besides  women  and  children.  Then  he  sent  them 
away,  and  taking  a  boat,  went  to  the  countiy  about 
Magdala  and  Dalmanutha.* 

Then  the  Pharisees,  and  also  the  Sadducees,  came 
to  him,  and  to  try  him,  desired  that  he  would  show 
them  a  sign  from  heaven.  He  answered  them,  "  In 
the  evening,  you  say  it  will  be  fair  weather,  for  the 
sky  is  red ;  and  in  the  morning,  you  say  it  will  be  foul 
weather,  for  the  sky  is  red  and  lowering.  Hypocrites  ! 
You  can  read  the  face  of  the  sky ;  but  can  you  not 

Dalmanutha  and  Magdala,  —  Dr.  Lightfoot  infers  from 
Jewish  writers  that  these  were  towns  on  the  south-east  side 
of  the  lake  of  Galilee. 

*Matt.  XX.  21-39.    Mark  vii.  24-37;  viii.  1-9. 


1 68  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

read  the  signs  of  the  times?"  And  sighing  deeph',  he 
said,  "  Why  does  this  race  seek  a  sign?  Truly  I  say 
to  you  no  sign  will  be  given  to  it,  but  the  sign  of 
Jonah  the  prophet."  And  he  left  them,  and  entering 
the  boat  again,  departed  to  the  other  side. 

Now  the  disciples,  when  they  came  to  the  other 
side,  found  they  had  forgotten  to  take  bread,  and  had 
in  the  boat  only  one  loaf.  And  he  had  charged  them, 
saying,  "  Take  heed  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees 
and  Sadducees."  And  they  questioned  among  them- 
selves, saying,  "Is  it  because  we  have  no  bread?" 
Jesus,  knowing  this,  said  to  them,  "  Why  question 
you  about  the  bread?  Do  you  not  yet  perceive,  nor 
understand?  Are  your  minds  still  blinded?  Having 
eyes,  do  you  not  see?  and  having  ears,  do  you  not 
hear?  And  do  you  not  remember?  When  I  broke 
the  five  loaves  among  the  five  thousand,  how  many 
baskets  of  fragments  took  you  up  ? "  They  said  to 
him,  "Twelve."  And  when  I  broke  the  seven  among 
the  four  thousand,  how  many  baskets  of  fragments 
took  you  up?  And  they  said  "  Seven."  And  he  said 
to  them,  "  How  is  it,  then,  that  you  do  not  understand 
that  I  spoke  not  of  bread,  when  I  bade  you  beware 
of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees.  Then 
they  understood  that  he  told  them  not  to  beware  of 
the  leaven  of  bread ;  but  of  the  teaching  of  the  Phar- 
isees and  Sadducees.* 

And  he  went  to  Bethsaida,  and  they  brought  a 
blind  man  to  him,  and  besought  him  to  touch  him. 
And  taking  the  blind  man  by  the  hand,  he  led  him 
out  of  the  town,  and  wetting  his  eyes  with  spittle,  he 

♦Matt  xvi.  I-I2.     Mark  viii.  IO-2I. 


RESTORES    SIGHT    TO    A    BLIND    MAN.  1 69 

put  his  hands  on  him,  and  asked  him  if  he  saw  any- 
thing. And  he  looked  up  and  said,  "  I  see  men,  as 
if  they  were  trees,  walking."  Then  he  put  his  hands 
again  on  his  eyes,  and  made  him  look  up,  and  his 
sight  was  restored ;  and  he  saw  them  all  clearly. 
Then  Jesus  sent  him  away  to  his  house,  saying,  "  Go 
not  into  the  town,  nor  tell  it  to  any  one  from  the 
town."  * 

And  Jesus,  and  his  disciples  went  to  the  towns  of 
Cesarea  Philippi,  and  on  the  way,  —  when  he  was 
alone  praying,  —  his  disciples  coming  to  him,  he  asked 
them,  "  Who  do  men  say  that  I,  the  Son  of  Man, 
am?"  And  they  answered,  "Some  say  John  the 
Baptist,  others  Elijah,  and  others  Jeremiah,  or  one  of 
the  old  prophets,  risen  from  the  dead."  Then  he  said 
to  them,  "But  who  do  yott  say  that  I  am?"  And 
Simon  Peter  answered :  "  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son 
of  the  living  God."  Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Happy  are 
you  Simon,  son  of  Jonah,  for  flesh  and  blood  have  not 
revealed  this  to  you  ;  but  my  Fatlier  in  heaven  ;  and  I 
say  to  you,  that  you  are  Peter,  and  on  this  rock  I  will 
build  my  church,  and  the  gates  of  Hades  shall  not  pre- 
vail against  it.     And  I  will  give  to  you  the  keys  of  the 

Cesarea  P/«7«^/z,  —  was  situated  at  the  foot  of  Mount 
Hermon  and  near  the  source  of  the  Jordan.  It  is  now  called 
Banias,  and  is  a  wretched  hamlet  of  about  a  hundred  miser- 
able huts,  inhabited  by  Turks. 

The  gates  of  Hades.  —  The  abode  of  the  dead  was  thought, 
by  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  to  be  a  subterranean  receptacle, 
guarded  by  gates,  from  which  there  was  no  escape.  Death 
was  the  entrance  within  these  gates.  The  gates  of  ancient 
cities  were  the  principal  places  where  courts  were  held,  and 
public  matters   deliberated  on.     By  the  gates  of  Hades   are 

15  Mark  viii.  22-26. 


I^O  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

kingdom  of  heaven,  and  what  you  shall  forbid  on 
earth,  will  be  forbidden  in  heaven  ;  and  what  you  shall 
permit  on  earth,  will  be  permitted  in  heaven." 

Then  he  charged  them  to  tell  no  one  that  he  was  the 
Christ ;  and  he  told  them  also,  how  he  must  go 
to  Jerusalem,  and  suffer  many  things  from  the  elders, 
and  chief  priests,  and  Scribes,  and  be  put  to  death, 
and  raised  again  the  third  day.  And  he  said  this 
openly ;  but  Peter  took  him  to  task,  saying,  "  Be 
this  far  from  you,  Lord.  This  shall  not  come  upon 
you."  But  he,  turning  about  and  looking  at  his  dis- 
ciples, rebuked  Peter,  saying,  "  Get  ye  behind  me, 
Satan.  You  care  not  for  the  things  of  God,  but  for 
those  of  men."  And  calling  together  the  people,  with 
his  disciples  also,  he  said  to  them,  "  Whoever  will 
come  after  me,  must  renounce  himself,  and  take  up 
his  cross  daily,  and  follow  me ;  for  whoever  would 
save  his  life,  will  lose  it ;  but  whoever  shall  lose  his 
life  for  my  sake,  and  the  Gospel's,  he  will  save  it. 
And  what  will  it  profit  a  man  to  gain  the  whole 
world,  and  lose  his  own  soul  ?  or  what  would  a  man 
give  in  exchange  for  his  soul?  Whoever  shall  be 
ashamed  of  me,  and  my  words,  among  this  apostate 
and  sinful  race,  of  him  will  the  Son  of  Man  be 
ashamed  when  he  comes  in  the  glory  of  his  Father 
with  his  holy  angels.  Then  he  will  reward  every  man 
according  to  his  works.  And  truly  I  say  to  you,  there 
are  some  standing  here  who  will  not  taste  of  death 
till  they  have  seen  the  Son  of  Man,  coming  in  his 
kingdom."  * 

therefore  meant  the  powers  which  were  supposed  to  rule  the 
rebellious  invisible  world. 

Matt.  xvi.  13-28.    Mark  viii.  27-37;  ix.  I.    Luke  ix.  18-27. 


THE    TRANSFIGURATION.  17I 

And  six  days  after  these  teachings,  taking  Peter  and 
John  and  James,  he  went  up  into  a  high  mountain 
to  pray.  And  as  he  prayed,  his  countenance  was 
transfigured  and  it  shone  Hke  the  sun,  and  his 
raiment  became  white  as  the  light,  and  gHstening. 
And  two  men  talked  with  him,  —  Moses  and  Elijah, — 
who  appeared  in  glory,  and  spoke  of  his  departure, 
which  was  about  to  take  place  at  Jerusalem.  But 
Peter  and  those  with  him  were  overcome  with  sleep, 
and  it  was  on  waking  that  they  saw  his  glory,  and 
the  two  men  with  him.  And  as  they  were  parting 
from  him,  Peter  said  to  Jesus,  "Master,  it  is  good 
for  us  to  be  here,  and,  if  thou  wilt,  let  us  make  three 
tents,  one  for  thee,  and  one  for  Moses,  and  one  for 
Elijah ; "  for  he  knew  not  what  to  say.  But  while 
he  was  thus  speaking,  a  bright  cloud  overspread  them, 
and  they  were  afraid  when  they  saw  the  men  enter 
the  cloud.  And  there  came  a  voice  out  of  the  cloud, 
saying ;  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased.  Hear  ye  him."  And  when  the  disciples 
heard  the  voice,  they  fell  on  their  faces,  and  were 
greatly  afraid.  But  Jesus  came  and  touched  them, 
saying :  "  Arise,  and  be  not  afraid."  And  they  lifted 
up  their  eyes,  and  looking  round,  saw  no  one  but  Jesus 
only. 

As  they  were  coming  down  from  the  mountain, 
Jesus  charged  them,  saying,  "  Tell  the  vision  to  no 
one,  till  the  Son  of  Man  has  risen  from  the  dead." 
And  they  kept  these  words  to  themselves,  questioning 
what  the  rising  from  the  dead  could  mean.  And  they 
asked  him,  "Why  do  the  Scribes  say  that  Elijah  must 
first  come?"    Jesus  answered,  "Elijah   truly   comes 


172  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

first,  and  reforms  all  things.  But  I  say  to  you,  Elijah 
has  come  already,  and  the  people  knew  him  not ;  but 
did  to  him  whatever  they  would,  as  it  was  written  of 
him  ;  and  so  also,  the  Son  of  Man  will  suffer  by  them." 
Then  the  disciples  understood  that  he  spoke  of  John 
the  Baptist,  and  they  kept  these  things  close,  telling  no 
one  till  Jesus  had  risen  from  the  dead.* 

On  the  next  day  when  they  came  down  from 
the  mountain,  he  found  a  great  number  of  people 
gathered  about  his  disciples,  and  the  Scribes  disputing 
with  them.  And  as  soon  as  they  saw  him  the  whole 
multitude  was  struck  with  awe,  and  running  to  him, 
saluted  him.  And  he  asked,  "  What  are  you  disput- 
ing about  together  ? "  And  one  of  the  multitude 
answered,  "Master,  I  brought  to  you  my  son  who  has 
a  dumb  spirit,  and  when  it  seizes  him,  he  foams  at  the 
mouth,  and  gnashes  his  teeth,  and  falls  down  insensi- 
ble, and  the  demon  bruises  him,  departing  from  him 
hardly,  and  leaving  him  utterly  exhausted ;  and  I  be- 
sought thy  disciples  to  cast  him  out,  and  they  could 
not."  Jesus  answering  said,  "  O  faithless,  and  per- 
verse generation !  How  long  shall  I  be  with  you  ? 
Bring  him  to  me."  As  he  was  coming,  —  as  soon  as 
he  saw  Jesus,  the  demon  threw  him  down  and  tore 
him,  and  he  rolled  on  the  ground,  foaming  at  the 
mouth.  And  Jesus  asked  his  father,  "  How  long  has 
this  been  upon  him?  "  And  he  said,  "  From  a  child  ; 
and  often  it  casts  him  into  the  fire,  and  into  the  water 
to  destroy  him  ;  and  if  you  can  do  anything,  have 
compassion  on  us,  and  help  us."  And  Jesus  said, 
"  What  means   this,   '  If  you  can  ? '      All  things    are 

*Matt.  xvii.  1-13.    Mark  ix.  2-13.     Luke  ix.  28-36. 


FORETELLS    HIS    DEATH.  1 73 

possible  to  him  that  believes."  And  at  once  the  father 
of  the  child  cried  out  with  tears,  "  Lord,  I  believe  ; 
help  thou  mine  unbelief."  Then  Jesus  seeing  the 
people  murmuring  together,  rebuked  tlie  foul  spirit, 
saying  to  it,  "  Thou  dumb  and  deaf  spirit,  come 
out  of  him,  and  enter  him  no  more."  And  crying  out 
and  rending  him  sorely,  the  spirit  came  out  of  the 
child  ;  and  he  lay  as  one  dead,  so  that  many  said  "  He 
is  dead."  But  Jesus  taking  him  by  the  hand,  lifted  him 
up,  and  he  arose,  cured  from  that  very  hour.  And 
they  were  all  amazed  at  the  mighty  power  of  God.* 

When  Jesus  had  ^entered  a  house,  his  disciples 
asked  him  privately,  ''  Why  could  not  we  cast  him 
out?"  And  he  said  to  them,  *•' Because  of  your  un- 
belief; for  truly  I  say  to  you,  if  you  had  faith  as  a 
grain  of  mustard  seed,  you  might  say  to  this  mountain, 
'remove  hence  to  yonder  place,'  and  it  should  remove, 
and  nothing  would  be  impossible  for  you.  However, 
this  race  goes  not  out  except  by  prayer  and  fasting." 

And  departing  thence,  they  journeyed  through  Gali- 
lee, and  he  would  that  no  man  should  know  where 
he  was ;  but  while  all  were  wondering  at  these 
works  which  he  did,  he  said  to  his  disciples,  ''  Let 
these  words  sink  into  your  ears  ;  for  the  Son  of  Man  is 
about  to  be  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  men.  And 
they  will  kill  him,  and  after  he  is  killed,  he  will  be 
raised  again  on  the  third  day."  But  they  understood 
not  his  words,  and  were  afraid  to  question  him.  j 

And  when  they  had  returned  to  Capernaum,  the 
receivers  of  the  tribute  money  came  to  Peter  and  said, 

*  Matt.  xvii.  14.     Mark  ix.  14-29.     Luke  ix.  37-43. 
tMatt.  xvii.  22,  23.     Mark  ix.  30-32.     Luke  ix.  43-45. 
15* 


1 74  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

"Does  not  your  master  pay  tribute?"  He  said, 
"  Yes."  And  on  his  return  to  the  house,  before  he 
had  spoken  of  it,  Jesus  said  to  him,  "  What  think 
you  Simon?  Of  whom  do  the  kings  of  the  earth 
take  taxes  or  tribute  money,  of  their  own  children,  or 
of  strangers?"  Peter  said  to  him,  "  Of  strangers." 
Jesus  said,  "  Then  are  the  children  free  ;  but  that  we 
may  not  offend  them,  go  to  the  sea  and  cast  in  a  hook. 
Take  the  fish  that  first  comes  up,  and  on  opening  its 
mouth  you  will  find  a  stater,  that  give  to  them  for 
me  and  you."  * 

About  this  time  there  arose  a  dispute  among  the 
disciples,  as  to  which  of  them  should  be  greatest  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  And  being  in  the  house, 
Jesus  asked  them,  "  What  Vv^as  it  3'ou  disputed  about 
on  the  road?"  They  held  their  peace,  but  Jesus 
knowing  their  thoughts,  took  a  little  child  and  set  him 
in  the  midst  af  them  ;  and  when  he  had  taken  him  in 
his  arms,  he  said  to  them,  "  Truly  I  say  to  you,  unless 
you  are  converted,  and  become  as  little  children,  you 
will  not  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  W^hoever 
humbles  himself  as  this  little  child,  is  greatest  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven ;  and  who  receives  one  such 
little  child  for  my  sake,  receives  me.  And  whoever 
receives  me,  receives  him  that  sent  me.  And  he  that 
is  least  among  you  all,  the  same  shall  be  the  greatest. 

Stater.  —  A  Roman  silver  coin  of  the  value  of  a  shekel. 
The  tribute  was  a  half  shekel,  and  the  stater  therefore  was  of 
sufficient  value  to  paj  for  two  persons.  This  tax  was  not 
paid  to  the  Roman  government;  but  to  the  Jews  for  the 
temple  service. 

*Matt.  xvii.  24-27.     Mark  ix.  33. 


TEACHES    HUMILITY.  1 75 

If  any  one  desires  to  be  first,  he  will  be  last  of  all,  and 
the  servant  of  all.  Whoever  shall  cause  one  of  these 
little  ones,  who  believes  in  me,  to  fall  away  from  me, 
it  were  better  for  him  that  a  millstone  were  hanged 
about  his  neck,  and  he  were  drowned  in  the  depths  of 
the  sea.  Take  heed  that  you  despise  not  one  of  the 
humblest  of  my  disciples,  for  I  say  to  you,  that  in 
heaven  their  angels  always  behold  the  face  of  my 
Father.  The  Son  of  Man  has  come  to  save  what 
was  lost.  What  think  you  ?  if  a  man  has  a  hundred 
sheep,  and  one  of  them  has  gone  astray,  will  he  not 
leave  the  ninety  and  nine,  and  go  upon  the  moun- 
tains to  seek  that  which  has  gone  astray?  And 
if  he  find  it,  truly  I  say  to  you,  he  rejoices  more  over 
it  than  over  the  ninety  and  nine  which  went  not 
astray.  Even  so  it  is  not  the  will  of  your  Father  that 
one  of  the  humblest  of  these  should  be  lost." 

John  said  to  him,  *'  Master,  we  saw  one  casting  out 
demons  in  thy  name,  and  we  forbade  him,  because  he 
followed  not  with  us."  But  Jesus  said,  "  Forbid  him 
not.  No  one  can  do  a  miracle  in  my  name,  and  speak 
evil  of  me ;  for  he  that  is  not  against  us,  is  for  us. 
And  whoever  gives  you  a  cup  of  cold  water  in  my 
name,  because  you  belong  to  Christ,  truly,  I  say  to  you, 
he  will  not  lose  his  reward." 

A  mill  stone  ha7tged  about  his  neck.  —  This  was  a  mode  of 
capital  punishment  practised  among  the  Greeks,  and  ancient 
Hindoos,  and  it  is  probable  that  it  was  in  use  in  Syria.  It  is 
still  one  of  the  "  institutions"  of  Turkey. 

Their  Angels.  —  It  was  a  general  belief  among  the  Jews, 
that  every  person  was  attended  by  an  angel,  who  was  con- 
sidered as  his  representative,  and  to  whom  he  was  supposed  to 
have  a  personal  resemblance.  See  Acts  xii.  15.  Hebrew  i. 
14. 


176  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

Then  Peter  came  to  him,  and  said,  "  Lord,  if  my 
brother  sin  against  me,  how  often  shall  I  forgive  him? 
Till  seven  times?"  Jesus  answered  him,  "  I  say  not 
until  seven  times,  but  until  seventy  times  seven.  If 
your  brother  sin  against  you,  go  alone  to  him,  and  tell 
him  his  fault ;  if  he  hear  you,  you  have  gained  your 
brother.  But,  if  he  will  not  hear  you,  go  to  him  again, 
with  one  or  two  more,  that  by  the  testimony  of  two 
or  three  witnesses,  every  word  may  be  confirmed. 
If  he  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  the  matter  to  your 
whole  body  assembled ;  and  if  he  disregard  them,  let 
him  be  to  you  as  a  heathen  and  a  tax-gatherer. 

"  Therefore  the  kingdom  of  heaven  has  been  com- 
pared to  a  certain  king,  who  would  settle  accounts 
with  his  servants,  and  when  he  began  the  reckoning, 
one  was  brought  to  him  who  owed  him  ten  thousand 
talents ;  but  as  he  had  not  money  to  pay,  his  lord 
ordered  him  to  be  sold  with  his  wife  and  children,  and 
all  that  he  had,  for  the  payment  of  the  debt.  Then 
the  servant  fell  down  at  his  feet,  saying,  '  Lord,  have 
patience  with  me,  and  I  will  pay  you  all.'  Then 
the  master  had  compassion  on  him,  and  forgave  him 
the  debt.  But  the  same  sei-vant  went  out,  and  found 
one  of  his  fellow  servants  who  owed  him  a  hundred 
denarii,  and  he  seized  him  by  the  throat,  saying,  '  Pay 
me  what  you  owe  me.'     Then  his  fellow  servant  fell 

Teti  thousand  Talents.  —  The  silver  talent  was  worth 
$1,519.23.  The  sum,  therefore,  would  be  about  fifteen  mill- 
ions of  dollars. 

To  be  sold.  —  It  was  the  custom  to  sell  debtors  into  slavery 
among  many  of  the  Eastern  nations.  For  notices  of  its  ex- 
istence among  the  Jews,  see  2  Kings  iv.  i.  Lev.  xxv.  39-46. 
Amos  viii.  6. 


TEACHES    FORGIVENESS.  177 

down,  and  entreated  him,  saying,  '  Have  patience  with 
me,  and  I  will  pay  you  all.'  He  would  not,  but 
cast  him  into  prison  till  he  could  pay  the  debt.  Their 
fellow  servants  seeing  what  was  done,  were  very  sorry, 
and  told  their  master  all  that  was  done.  Then  his 
master  summoned  him,  and  said,  '  Thou  wicked  ser- 
vant, I  forgave  thee  all  thy  debt  at  thy  entreaty. 
Shouldest  not  thou,  too,  have  had  pity  on  thy  fellow 
servant,  as  I  had  compassion  on  thee?'  And  his 
master  was  angry,  and  delivered  him  to  the  tormentors, 
till  he  should  pay  all  that  was  due  to  him.  Even  so 
will  my  heavenly  Father  do  to  you,  if  you  from  your 
hearts  forgive  not  every  one  his  brother."  * 

After  this  the  Lord  selected  seventy  other  disciples 
also,  and  sent  them,  two  by  two,  before  him  to  every 
town  and  place  where  he  was  about  to  go  ;  and  he 
said  to  them,  "  The  harvest  truly  is  great,  but  the 
laborers  are  few.  Pray  then  the  Lord  of  the  harvest, 
to  send  laborers  into  his  harvest.  Go  your  way.  Lo, 
I  send  you  as  lambs  among  wolves.  Cari-y  neither 
purse,  nor  scrip,  nor  shoes,  and  salute  no  man  by  the 

Salute  no  7nan  by  the  tvay.  —  The  customary  salutations 
among  Eastern  nations  are  formal  and  tedious,  and  consume 
much  time.  If  an  Oriental  meets  an  acquaintance,  he  stops, 
however  urgent  his  business,  to  make  and  answer  an  endless 
number  of  inquiries ;  and  to  this  delay  the  seventy  were  ex- 
posed, as  they  were  doubtless  going  where  they  were  known. 
To  avoid  a  like  waste  of  time  they  were  forbidden  to  go 
"from  house  to  house."  It  is  still  the  custom  in  Palestine, 
when  a  stranger  arrives  in  a  village,  for  the  neighbors  to 
invite  him  to  eat  with  them.  The  custom  involves  much 
ostentation   and   hypocrisy;    but  a   failure   to   observe   it  is 

*  Matt.  xvii.  1-35.     Mark  ix.  33-50.     Luke  ix.  46-50. 


178  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

way.  And  whatever  house  you  enter,  on  entering  say, 
'  Peace  be  to  this  house.'  And  if  one  worthy  of  peace 
be  there,  your  peace  will  rest  upon  it,  if  not,  it  will 
return  to  you  again.  Go  not  from  house  to  house,  but 
remain  in  the  same  house  eating  and  drinking  what 
they  give,  for  the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire.  And 
in  whatever  town  you  are  welcomed,  eat  what  is  set 
before  you,  and  heal  the  sick  who  are  there,  and  say 
to  the  people,  '  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand.' 
But  in  whatever  town  you  are  not  welcomed,  go  out 
into  the  streets,  and  say,  '  Even  the  dust  which  cleaves 
to  our  feet  do  we  shake  oft'  against  you  ;  but  be  sure 
of  this,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand.'  I  say  to 
you  it  will  be  more  tolerable  in  that  day  for  Sodom, 
than  for  that  town ;  for  he  that  receives  you,  receives 
to  me,  and  he  that  rejects  you,  rejects  me,  and  he  that 
rejects  me,  rejects  him  that  sent  me."  * 

When  the  time  was  near,  that  he  was  to  be  re- 
ceived up,  he  steadfastly  set  his  face  to  go  to  Jerusa- 
lem. And  the  Jews'  festival  of  tabernacles  being  at 
hand,  his  kinsmen  said  to  him, '  Depart  hence  and  go 
to  Judea,  that  your  disciples  there  may  see  the  works 
that  you  are  doing.  No  one  who  would  be  known, 
does  his  works  where  they  cannot  be  seen."  For  not 
even  his  kinsmen  had  faith  in  him. 

Then  Jesus  said  to  them,  "My  time  has  not  yet 
come  ;  but  all  times  are  suitable  for  you.  The  world 
cannot  hate  you,  but  me  it  hates,  because  I  testify  of 
it,  that  its  deeds  are  evil.     Go  you  up  to  this  festival, 

strongly  resented,  and  often  leads  to  alienation  and  feuds 
among  neighbors. 

♦Luke  X.  i-ii. 


HEALS    TEN    LEPERS.  1 79 

I  am  not  yet  going  up,  for  my  time  is  not  yet  fully  come.* 
Having  said  this  he  stayed  behind  in  Galilee  ;  but 
when  his  kinsmen  had  gone  up,  he  also  went  to  the  fes- 
tival, not  openly,  but  as  it  were  in  a  private  manner,  — 
sending  messengers  before,  to  make  ready  for  him. 
And  they  entered  a  village  of  the  Samaritans,  *but 
the  Samaritans  would  not  receive  him  because  they 
knew  he  was  going  to  Jerusalem.  And  his  disciples, 
James  and  John,  when  they  knew  this,  said,  "  Lord, 
shall  we  call  down  fire  from  heaven,  to  consume  them, 
even  as  Elijah  did?"  But  he  turned  and  rebuked 
them,  saying,  "  You  know  not  what  manner  of  spirit 
you  are  of;  the  Son  of  Man  is  not  come  to  destroy 
men's  lives,  but  to  save  them."  And  they  went  to 
another  village. 

And  on  the  way  to  Jerusalem,  he  passed  through 
the  confines  of  Samaria  and  Galilee,  and  was  about 
to  enter  a  certain  village,  when  there  met  him  ten 
lepers,  who,  standing  afar  ofi',  cried  out,  "Jesus, 
Master,  have  pity  on  us."  Seeing  them,  he  said, 
"  Go,  show  yourselves  to  the  priests."  And  while 
they  were  going,  they  were  cleansed.  And  one  of 
them,  seeing  that  he  was  healed,  turned  back,  giving 
glory  to  God  with  a  loud  voice ;  and  he  fell  on  his 
face  at  the  feet  of  Jesiis,  giving  him  thanks ;  and 
he  was  a  Samaritan.    Jesus    said,  "  Were  there  not 

There  met  him  ten  Lepers.  —  Lepers  were  excluded  from 
towns,  and  these,  therefore,  met  Jesus  outside  the  gates  of  the 
village.  From  instances  in  Seneca  it  appears  to  have  been  a 
custom  for  sick  people  to  cast  themselves,  on  their  recovery, 
at  the  feet  of  the  physician,  and  embrace  his  knees. 

*  John  vii.  2-iQ.     Luke  ix.  52-56;    xxii.  11-19. 


l8o  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

ten  cleansed?  Where  are  the  other  nine?  Were 
there  none  to  return,  and  give  glor}'  to  God  but  this 
stranger?"  And  he  said  to  him,  "Arise,  go  your 
way  ;  your  faitli  has  made  you  whole." 


PART     SIXTH. 

FROM   THE   FESTIVAL    OF   TABERNACLES   TO 
THE    ARRIVAL    AT    BETHANY. 

Time  —  Six  months,  less  six  days. 


LIFE     OF    JESUS 


PART    SIXTH 


THE  Jews  sought  Jesus  at  the  festival,  saying, 
"  Wliere  is  he  ?  "  And  there  was  much  discus- 
sion among  the  multitude  concerning  him ;  some 
saying,  "  He  is  a  good  man,"  others,  "  Nay ;  he  de- 
ceives the  common  people."  However,  no  one  spoke 
openly  of  him  for  fear  of  the  rulers.  Now,  about  the 
middle  of  the  festival,  he  went  up  to  the  temple  and 
taught ;  and  the  Jews  wondered,  saying,  "  How 
know^s  this  man  letters,  having  never  learned?"  Then 
Jesus  said  to  them,  "My  teaching  is  not  mine,  but  His 
who  sent  m.e.  If  any  man  will  do  his  will,  he  will 
know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of  God,  or  whether 
I  speak  from  myself.  He  who  speaks  from  himself, 
seeks  his  own  glory  ;  but  he  who  seeks  the  glory  of 
Him  that  sent  him,  he  is  true,  and  no  iniquity  is  in  him. 
Has  not  Moses  given  you  the  Law ;  yet  none  of  you 
keep  the  Law.  Why  do  you  go  about  to  kill  me  ? " 
The  people  answered,  "  You  are  mad.  Who  goes 
about  to  kill  you?"  Jesus  answered,  "  I  have  done 
one  work  at  which  you  all  marvelled.  Moses  gave 
you  circumcision,  —  not  that  it  is  of  Moses  ;  but  of  the 
fathers,  —  and  you  circumcise  a  child  on  the  Sabbath  ; 
C183) 


184  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

if  a  child  be  circumcised  on  the  Sabbath,  that  the  law 
of  Moses  may  not  be  broken,  are  you  angry  with  me 
for  making  a  man  every  whit  whole  on  the  Sabbath  ? 
Judge  not  according  to  appearance,  but  judge  righte- 
ously." 

Then  some  of  the  people  of  Jerusalem  said,  "Is  not 
this  the  man  whom  they  seek  to  kill?  but  see,  he 
speaks  boldly,  and  they  say  nothing  to  him.  Do  the 
rulers  indeed  believe  that  he  is  the  Christ?  However 
we  know  this  man  whence  he  is ;  but  when  Christ 
comes,  no  one  knows  whence  he  is."  Then  Jesus  cried 
aloud,  as  he  was  teaching  in  the  temple,  "Ye  know  me, 
and  ye  know  whence  I  am  ;  and  I  have  not  come  of 
myself;  but  He  who  sent  me  is  true  ;  Him  you  know 
not,  but  I  know  him,  for  I  am  from  him,  and  he  sent  me." 
Then  they  sought  to  seize  him  ;  but  no  one  laid  hands 
on  him,  for  his  hour  had  not  yet  come.  But  many  of 
the  people  believed  in  him,  and  said,  "  When  Christ 
comes,  will  he  do  more  miracles  than  this  man  does  ?  " 

When  the  Pharisees  heard  that  the  common  people 
murmured  such  things  concerning  him,  they  and  the 
chief  priests  sent  officers  to  seize  him.  Then  Jesus 
said  to  them,  "  But  a  little  while  shall  I  be  with  you  ; 
for  I  go  to  Him  that  sent  me.  You  will  seek  me  and 
will  not  find  me,  and  where  I  am,  there  you  cannot 
come."  Then  the  Jews  said  one  to  another,  "  Where 
will  this  man  go,  that  we  shall  not  find  him?  Will  he 
go  to  the  dispersed  among  the  Greeks,  and  teach  the 

The  dispersed  among  the  Greeks.  —  The  dispersed  Jews 
who  were  scattered  about  in  various  places  out  of  the  limits 
of  Palestine.  These  foreign  Jews  were  held  in  contempt  by 
those  of  Palestine,  who  arrogated  to  themselves  great  superi- 
ority from  their  residence  in  the  Holy  Land. 


DISCOURSE    IN    THE    TEMPLE.  185 

Greeks?  What  means  this  saying,  'You  will  seek 
me,  and  will  not  find  me ;  and  where  I  am,  there  you 
cannot  come.' " 

On  the  great  day  of  the  festival,  Jesus  stood  and 
cried  aloud,  saying,  ''  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come 
to  me  and  drink.  As  the  Scripture  says,  '  From  him 
who  believes  in  me,  will  flow  rivers  of  living  water.'" 
But  this  he  spoke  of  the  Spirit  which  those  who  be- 
lieve on  him  should  receive ;  for  the  Holy  Spirit  was 
not  yet  given,  because  Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified. 
Many  of  the  people,  hearing  these  words,  said,  ''  Of  a 
truth,  this  is  the  prophet."  Others,  "  This  is  Christ," 
and  others,  ''  Is  Christ  to  come  out  of  Galilee?  Does 
not  the  Scripture  say  that  Christ  comes  of  the  seed  of 
David,  and  from  Bethlehem,  the  town  of  David?"  So 
there  was  division  among  the  people  concerning  him. 
And  some  of  them  desired  to  seize  him,  but  no  one 
laid  hands  on  him. 

Then  the  officers  returned  to  the  chief  priests  and 
Pharisees,  and  they  asked  them,  "  Why  have  you  not 
brought  him?"  The  officers  answered,  ''Never  man 
spoke  like  this  man."  Then  the  Pharisees  said  to 
them,  "Are  you  also  deceived?  Have  any  of  the 
rulers,  or  the  Pharisees  believed  in  him.  But  this 
multitude  that  knows  not  the  law  are  accursed."  Nico- 
demus  —  he  who  came  to  Jesus  by  night,  being  one 
of  them  —  then  said  to  them,  "Does  our  law  con- 
demn a  man,  before  it  hear  him,  and  know  what  he 
has  done?"  They  answered,  "Are  you,  too,  a  Gali- 
lean? Search  and  see,  for  no  prophet  arises  from 
Galilee."  Then  every  one  went  to  his  own  house,  and 
Jesus  passed  out  to  the  Mount  of  Olives.* 
16*  *John  vii.  11-53;  viii.  i. 


l86  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

Early  in  the  morning  he  came  again  to  the 
temple,  and  all  the  people  gathering  about  him,  he  sat 
down  and  taught  them.  And  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees brought  to  him  a  woman  taken  in  adultery,  and 
placing  her  in  the  midst,  they  said,  "  Master,  this 
woman  was  taken  in  adultery,  in  the  very  act.  Now 
Moses,  in  the  Law,  commands  that  such  should  be 
stoned;  but  what  say  you?"  This  they  said  to  try 
him,  that  they  might  have  something  of  which  to 
accuse  him.  But  Jesus,  stooping  down,  wrote  w4th 
his  finger  on  the  ground ;  and  when  they  continued 
asking  him,  he  raised  himself,  and  said,  "  Let  him 
that  is  without  sin  among  you,  cast  the  first  stone  at 
her."  And  again  stooping  down,  he  wrote  on  the 
ground.  Hearing  this,  and  being  convicted  by  their 
own  consciences,  they  went  out  one  by  one,  beginning 
at  the  oldest,  even  to  the  last,  and  Jesus  was  left  alone, 
with  the  woman  standing  in  the  midst.  Jesus  then 
rising,  and  seeing  none  but  the  woman,  said,  "Woman 
where  are  your  accusers?  Has  no  one  condemned 
you?"  She  answered,  "No  one.  Lord."  He  said  to 
her,  "  Neither  do  I  condemn  you.  Go,  and  sin  no 
more." 

Again  Jesus  spoke  to  them,  sa3^ing,  "  I  am  the  light 
of  the  world.  He  who  follows  me  will  not  walk  in 
darkness,  but  will  have  the  light  of  life."  Then  the 
Pharisees  said  to  him,  "  You  bear  testimony  to  your- 
self,—  your  testimony  is  not  true."  Jesus  answered, 
"  Though  I  bear  testimony  to  myself,  yet  is  my  testi- 
mony true  ;  for  I  know  whence  I  came,  and  whither  1 
go  ;  but  you  cannot  tell  whence  I  came,  and  w^hither 
I  go.     You  judge  according  to  the  flesh,  I  judge   no 


DISCOURSE    IN    THE     TEMPLE.  1 87 

man ;  but  if  I  should  judge,  my  judgment  would  be 
true  ;  for  it  would  not  be  mine  alone,  but  mine  and  the 
Father's  who  sent  me.  It  is  written  in  your  law  that 
the  testimony  of  two  witnesses  is  true.  I  am  one  that 
testifies  of  myself,  and  the  father  who  sent  me  also 
testifies  of  me."  Then  they  said  to  him,  ''  Where  is 
your  Father?"  Jesus  answered,  "You  neither  know 
me,  nor  my  Father.  If  you  knew  me,  you  would 
know  my  Father  also."  These  words  he  said  while 
speaking  in  the  treasury  of  the  temple,  but  no  one  laid 
hands  on  him,  for  his  hour  had  not  yet  come. 

Then  he  said  to  them  again,  "  I  go  my  way,  and 
you  will  seek  me,  and  will  die  in  your  sins.  Where  I 
go,  you  cannot  come."  Then  the  Jews  said,  "•  Will 
he  kill  himself,  that  he  says.  '  Where  I  go,  you  cannot 
come.' "  He  said  to  them,  "  You  are  from  below,  I 
am  from  above  ;  you  are  of  this  world,  I  am  not  of  this 
world.  Therefore  I  said  to  you,  that  you  would  die  in 
your  sins  ;  for  unless  you  believe  that  I  am  he,  you  will 
die  in  your  sins."  And  they  said  to  him,  "  Who  are 
you?"  Jesus  answered,  "  Even  the  same  that  I  said 
from  the  beginning.  I  have  much  to  say  and  to  judge 
of  you  ;  but  he  who  sent  me  is  true,  and  I  speak  to 
the  world  what  I  have  heard  from  him."  They  under- 
stood not  that  he  spoke  to  them  of  the  Father.  Then 
Jesus  said  to  them,  "When  you  have  lifted  up  the  Son 
of  Man,  then  will  you  know  that  I  am  he,  and  that  I 
do  nothing  of  myself,  but  speak  as  my  Father  has 
taught  me.  And  He  who  sent  me  is  with  me  ;  he  has 
not  left  me  alone,  for  I  do  always  those  things  that 
please  him."  As  he  was  then  speaking  many  believed 
in  him. 


l88  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

Then  Jesus  said  to  those  that  beUeved  In  him  :  "  If 
you  continue  in  my  word,  then  are  you  my  disciples 
indeed.  And  you  will  know  the  truth  ;  and  the  truth 
will  make  you  free?"  Some  answered  him,  "  We  are 
Abraham's  children,  and  were  never  in  bondage  to  any 
one;  how  say  you  then,  you  will  be  free?"  Jesus 
answered  them,  "  Truly,  truly,  I  say  to  3^ou,  whoever 
commits  sin  is  the  slave  of  sin.  And  the  slave  abides 
not  in  the  house  forever ;  but  the  Son  abides  forever. 
Therefore,  if  the  Son  make  you  free,  you  will  be  free 
indeed.  I  know  that  you  are  Abraham's  children ; 
but  3^ou  seek  to  kill  me,  because  my  word  has  no  place 
in  you.  I  speak  what  I  have  seen  with  my  Father, 
and  you  do  what  you  have  learned  of  your  Father." 
They  answered,  "We  are  Abraham's  children."  Jesus 
said  to  them,  "  If  you  were  Abraham's  children,  you 
would  do  the  works  of  Abraham.  But  now  you  seek 
to  kill  me,  a  man  who  has  told  you  the  truth  which 
he  has  heard  of  God ;  this  did  not  Abraham.  You 
do  the  deeds  of  your  father."  Then  they  said  to  him, 
"  We  were  not  born  of  fornication ;  we  have  one 
father,  even  God."  Jesus  answered,  "  If  God  were 
your  Father,  you  would  love  me  ;  for  I  came  forth  and 
am  here,  from  God.  And  I  have  not  come  of  myself, 
but  He  has  sent  me.  Why  do  you  not  understand  my 
speech?  Because  you  cannot  hear  my  word.  You 
are  of  your  father  the  devil ;  and  the  lusts  of  your 
father  you  will  do.  He  was  a  murderer  from  the  be- 
ginning, and  abode  not  in  the  truth  ;  for  the  truth  is  not 
in  him.  When  he  speaks  a  lie,  he  speaks  from  his 
own  ;  for  he  is  a  liar,  and  the  father  of  lies.  Because 
I  tell  you  the  truth ;    you  do  not  believe  me.     Who 


REPROVIiS    THE    UNBELIEVING    JEWS.  1S9 

of  you  convicts  me  of  sin?  If  I  speak  the  truth,  why 
do  you  not  believe  me?  He  that  is  of  God,  hears 
God's  words.  You  hear  them  not,  because  you  are 
not  of  God." 

Then  answered  the  Jews,  "  Say  we  not  well,  that 
you  are  a  Samaritan,  and  have  a  demon  ? "  Jesus 
answered,  "  I  have  not  a  demon ;  but  I  honor  my 
Father,  and  you  do  me  dishonor.  But  I  seek  not  my 
own  glory ;  there  is  one  who  seeks  it,  and  will  judge. 
Truly,  truly,  I  tell  you,  if  a  man  keep  my  words  he 
will  never  see  death."  Then  the  Jews  said  to  him, 
"  Now  we  know  that  you  have  a  demon.  Abraham 
died,  and  the  prophets  died  ;  and  yet  you  say,  if  a  man 
keep  my  words  he  will  never  taste  of  death.  Are  you 
greater  than  our  father  Abraham,  who  died?  and  the 
prophets,  who  died  ?  Whom  do  you  make  yourself  ?  " 
Jesus  answered,  "  If  I  honor  myself,  my  honor  is 
nothing.  It  is  my  Father  who  honors  me,  and  he, 
you  say,  is  your  God.  Yet  you  know  him  not,  but  I 
know  him ;  and  if  I  should  say  I  knew  him  not,  I 
should  be  a  liar  like  you  ;  but  I  know  him,  and  keep 
his  word.  Abraham,  your  father,  rejoiced  to  see  my 
day.  And  he  saw  it  and  was  glad."  Then  said  the 
Jews  to  him,  "You  are  not  fifty  years  old,  and  have 
you  seen  Abraham?"  Jesus  said  to  them  "Truly, 
truly,  I  say  to  you,  before  Abraham  was,  I  am." 
Then  they  took  up  stones  to  cast  at  him,  but  he  hid 
himself,  and  went  out  of  the  temple.* 

And  going  to  the  village  called  Bethany,  a  cer- 
tain woman  named  Martha  received  him  into  her 
house  ;  and  she  had  a  sister  called  Mary,  who  seating 

♦John  viii.  12-59. 


190  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

herself  at  Jesus'  feet,  listened  to  his  words.  But 
Martha  was  busily  occupied  with  serving,  and  coming 
to  him  she  said,  "  Lord,  care  you  not  that  my  sister 
leaves  me  to  serve  alone?  bid  her  help  me."  Jesus 
answered  her,  "  Martha,  Martha,  you  are  careful  and 
troubled  about  many  things,  but  one  thing  is  needful ; 
and  Mary  has  chosen  that  better  part,  which  will  not 
be  taken  from  her."  * 

And  a  certain  teacher  of  the  law  came  to  him,  and 
to  try  him,  said,  "  Master,  what  shall  I  do  to  inherit 
eternal  life?"  Jesus  said  to  him,  "  What  is  written 
in  the  law ;  what  read  you  there  ? "  He  answered, 
"  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God,  widi  all  thy 
heart,  with  all  thy  soul,  with  all  thy  mind,  and 
with  all  thy  strength  ;  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself." 
Jesus  said  to  him,  ''  You  have  answered  rightly.  Do 
this,  and  you  will  live."  But  he,  wishing  to  justify 
himself,  said,  "Who  is  my  neighbor?"  Jesus  answered, 
"A  certain  man  went  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho, 
and  fell  among  thieves  ;  who,  stripping  him  of  his  rai- 
ment, and  wounding  him,  went  away,  leaving  him 
half  dead.  And  by  chance  a  certain  priest,  going  that 
way,  saw  him,  and  passed  by  on  the  other  side ;  and 

Dotvn  from  yerusalem  to  Jericho.  — Jericho  is  in  the  val- 
ley of  the  Jordan,  about  fifteen  miles  from  Jerusalem,  and 
on  considei-ably  lower  ground.  The  road  between  the  two 
places  passes  through  what  is  called  the  "Wilderness  of 
Jericho," — a  rocky,  mountainous  region,  sparsely  inhabited, 
and  still  infested  with  robbers.  Josephus  says  that  at  this  time 
Judea  was  overrun  with  highwaymen,  who  committed  the 
greatest  excesses,  and  that  this  road  was  particularly  danger- 
ous. 

''^  *  Luke  X.  38-42. 


TEACHES    HIS    DISCIPLES    TO    PRAY.  I9I 

also  a  Levite  coming  to  the  place,  looked  at  him,  and 
passed  by  on  the  other  side.  But  a  certain  Samari- 
tan on  a  journey,  coming  where  he  was,  saw  him,  and 
taking  pity  on  him,  went  to  him,  and  bound  up  his 
wounds,  pouring  on  oil  and  wine.  And  setting  him 
on  his  own  beast  he  carried  him  to  an  inn,  and  took 
care  of  him  ;  and  on  the  morrow  he  took  out  two 
denarii,  and  giving  them  to  the  inn-keeper,  said, '  Take 
care  of  this  man,  and  any  further  charge  I  will  pay 
you  when  I  come  again.'  Now  which  of  these  three, 
think  you,  was  neighbor  to  him  who  fell  among  the 
thieves?  "  And  he  said,  "  He  that  took  pity  on  him." 
Then  said  Jesus  to  him,  "  Go,  and  do  thou  likewise."* 

He  was  praying  in  a  certain  place,  and  when  he 
ceased,  his  disciples  said  to  him,  "  Lord,  teach  us  to 
pray,  as  John  taught  his  disciples."  Jesus  said  to 
them,  "  When  you  pray,  say :  Our  Father  who  art 
in  heaven.  Hallowed  be  thy  name,  Thy  kingdom 
come,  Give  us  day  by  day  our  needful  food.  And 
forgive  us  our  sins,  for  we  forgive  every  one  who  sins 
against  us,  And  bring  us  not  into  trial." 

Then  he  said  to  them,  ''  Suppose  one  of  you  should 
have  a  friend,  and  should  go  to  him  at  midnight,  and 
say,  '  Friend,  lend  me  three  loaves,  for  a  friend  of  mine 
has  come  to   me  in  his  journey,  and  I  have  nothing  to 

Go  to  him  at  Midnight.  —  It  is  customary  in  Eastern  coun- 
ties to  travel  at  night,  when  it  can  be  done  safely,  owing  to 
the  extreme  heat  of  the  days. 

Le7id  7ne  three  Loaves.  —  It  was  usual  among  the  Jews  for 
neighbors  to  borrow  bread  of  one  another,  and  certain  rules 
were  laid  down,  when  and  on  what  conditions,  it  should  be 
loaned. 

*  Luke  X.  25-37. 


192  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

set  before  him.'  And  he  should  answer  from  within  : 
'  Trouble  me  not,  the  house  is  now  shut ;  and  I  and  my 
children  are  in  bed.  I  cannot  rise  and  give  them  to 
you.'  I  tell  you,  though  he  may  not  rise  and  give  them 
because  he  is  a  friend,  yet  if  the  other  importune  him, 
he  will  rise  and  give  him  as  many  loaves  as  he  needs. 
So,  I  say  to  you.  Ask,  and  it  will  be  given  you  ;  seek, 
and  you  will  find  ;  knock,  and  the  door  will  be  opened 
to  you."* 

The  seventy  returned  with  joy,  saying :  "  Lord, 
even  the  demons  are  subject  to  us  through  your  name." 
And  he  said  to  them,  "  I  saw  Satan  fall  as  lightning 
from  heaven.  Lo  !  I  give  you  power  to  tread  on  ser- 
pents, and  scorpions,  and  over  all  the  might  of  the 
enemy ;  and  nothing  shall  at  all  injure  you.  But  in 
this  rejoice  not  —  that  the  spirits  are  subject  to  you, — 
rather  rejoice  that  your  names  are  written  in  heaven."  f 

Jesus  was  at  Jerusalem,  at  the  festival  of  the  dedi- 
cation ;  and  as  he  was  passing  along,  he  saw  a 
man  who  had  been  blind  from  his  birth  ;  and  his  dis- 
ciples asked  him  :  "  Who  sinned,  this  man,  or  his 
parents, .  that  he  was  born  blind  ?  "  Jesus  answered  : 
"  Neither  did  this  man  sin  nor  his  parents ;  but  that 
the  works  of  God  might  be  made  manifest  in  him.  I 
must  work  the  works  of  Him  who  sent  me  while  it  is 
day ;  the  night  is  coming  when  one  cannot  w^ork. 
While  I  am  in  the  world,  I  am  the  light  of  the  world." 
Saying  this,  he  spat  on  the  ground,  and  making  clay  of 
the  spittle,  anointed  with  it  the  eyes  of  the  blind  man, 
saying  to  him,  "Go,  wash  in  the  pool  of  Siloam,"  — 

The  Pool  of  Siloam^  was  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Zion,  and 

*  Luke  xi.  1-7.  f  Luke  x.  17-20. 


CURES    A    BLIND     MAN.  1 93 

which  word  means  sent.  And  he  went  and  washed, 
and  came  back  seeing. 

Then  the  neighbors,  and  those  who  before  had  seen 
the  man  as  a  beggar,  said,  "  Is  not  this  he  who  used  to 
sit  and  beg?  "  Some  said  "  It  is  he  ;  "  others  "  He  is 
like  him  ; "  but  he  said,  "  I  am  he."  Then  they  said 
to  him,  "How  were  your  eyes  opened?"  He  an- 
swered, "  A  man  called  Jesus  made  clay  and  anointed 
my  eyes,  saying  to  me,  '  Go  to  the  pool  of  Siloam,  and 
wash ; '  and  I  went  and  washed,  and  received  my 
sight."  Then  they  said  to  him,  "Where  is  that  man?" 
And  he  said,  "  I  know  not." 

They  brought  to  the  Pharisees  the  man  who  had 
been  blind.  And  it  was  on  the  Sabbatli,  that  Jesus 
made  the  clay,  and  opened  his  eyes.  Then  again  the 
Pharisees  asked  him  how  he  received  his  sight ;  and 
he  answered,  "  He  put  clay  on  my  eyes,  and  I  washed, 
and  do  see."  Then  said  some  of  the  Pharisees,  "  This 
man  is  not  from  God,  for  he  does  not  keep  the  Sab- 
bath." Others  said,  "  How  can  a  man  who  is  a  sinner 
do  such  things?"  And  there  was  a  division  among 
them.  They  spoke  to  the  blind  man  again,  and  asked, 
"What  say  you  of  him  who  opened  your  eyes?"  He 
said,  "  He  is  a  prophet."  But  the  Jews  would  not 
believe  that  he  had  been  blind  and  received  his  sight, 
until  they  called  his  parents,  and  questioned  them,  say- 
ing :  "  If  this  be  your  son,  and  he  was  born  blind,  how 
then  does  he  now  see  ? "  His  parents  answered, 
"  We  know  that  this  is  our  son,  and  that  he  was  born 
blind  ;  but  how  he  now  sees  we  know  not ;  nor  do  we 

just  outside  the  wall  of  the  city.  It  is  still  shown  to  trav- 
ellers. 

17 


194  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

know  who  opened  his  eyes.  He  is  of  age,  ask  him  ;  he 
can  speak  for  himself."  This  his  parents  said  through 
fear  of  the  Jews,  for  they  had  now  agreed  that  if  any 
one  acknowledged  Jesus  to  be  the  Christ,  he  should 
be  put  out  of  the  S3magogue.  Hence  his  parents 
said,  "  He  is  of  age,  ask  him." 

Then  a  second  time  the  Pharisees  called  the  man 
who  had  been  blind,  and  said,  "  Speak  in  the  fear  of 
God.  We  know  that  this  man  is  a  sinner."  The  man 
answered,  "  I  know  not  whether  he  be  a  sinner ;  but 
one  thing  I  do  know,  that  having  been  blind,  now  I 
see."  Then  said  they  to  him  again,  "  What  did  he  to 
you  ?  How  did  he  open  your  eyes  ?  "  He  answered 
them,  "  I  have  told  you  already,  and  you  would  not 
hear.  Would  you  hear  it  again  ?  Would  even  you  be 
his  disciples?"  Then  they  reviled  him,  saying,  "  You 
are  his  disciple  ;  but  we  are  Moses'  disciples.  We 
know  that  God  spoke  to  Moses ;  as  for  this  man,  we 
know  not  whence  he  is."  The  man  answered,  "Why, 
here  is  a  strange  thing,  —  you  know  not  whence  he  is, 
and  yet  he  has  opened  my  eyes.  Now,  we  know  that 
God  does  not  hear  sinners  ;  but  if  one  worships  him, 
and  does  His  will,  him  he  hears.  Since  the  world 
began  was  it  ever  heard  that  a  man  opened  the  eyes  of 
one  born  blind.  If  this  man  were  not  from  God  he 
could  do  nothing."  They  answered  him,  "You  were 
wholly  born  in  sin,  and  do  you  teach  us  ?  "  And  they 
thrust  him  out. 

Jesus  heard  that  they  had  cast  him  out ;  and  finding 

Put  out  of  the  Synagogue.  —  The  person  excluded  from 
the  Synagogue  was  not  only  prohibited  from  joining  in  public 
religious  services,  but  was  forbidden  every  kind  of  intercourse 
with  others. 


CURES    A   BLIND     MAN.  1 95 

him,  he  said  to  him,  "  Do  you  believe  on  the  Son  of 
God?"  He  answered,  "Who  is  he,  Lord,  that 
I  should  believe  on  him?  "  Jesus  said  to  him,  "You 
have  seen  him,  and  it  is  he  who  speaks  to  you."  And 
he  said :  "  Lord,  I  believe  ; "  and  worshipped  him. 
And  Jesus  said,  "  For  judgment  I  came  into  this 
world,  that  they  who  see  not,  may  see,  and  that  they 
who  see  may  become  blind." 

Some  of  the  Pharisees  who  were  with  him,  on  hear- 
ing these  words,  said,  "  Are  even  we  blind?"  Jesus 
said  to  them,  "  If  you  were  blind  you  would  not  sin  ; 
but  now,  while  you  say,  '  We  see,'  your  sin  remains. 
Truly,  truly,  I  say  to  you,  he  who  enters  not  by  the 
door,  but  climbs  into  the  sheep-fold  some  other  way, 
he  is  a  thief  and  a  robber  ;  but  he  who  enters  by  the 
door  is  the  shepherd  of  the  sheep  ;  to  him  the  porter 
opens,  and  the  sheep  hear  his  voice,  and  he  calls  his 
sheep  by  name,  and  leads  them  out.  And  when  he 
puts  forth  his  own,  he  goes  before  them  ;  and  the  sheep 
follow,  for  the}^  know  his  voice  ;  and  a  stranger  they 
will  not  follow,  but  will  flee  from  him,  because  they 
know  not  the  voice  of  strangers."  This  parable  spoke 
Jesus  to  them  ;  but  they  understood  not  its  meaning. 

Again  Jesus  said  to  them,  "  Truly,  truly,  I  am  the 
door  of  the  sheep.  All  who  have  come  before  me  are 
thieves  and  robbers  ;  but  the  sheep  did  not  hear  their 
voice.  I  am  the  door ;  whoever  enters  by  me  will  be 
safe  ;  and  will  go  in  and  out,  and  find  pasture.  The 
thief  comes  only  to  steal,  to  kill,  and  to  destroy  ;  I  have 
come  that  they  may  have  life,  and  have  it  more  abun- 
dantly. I  am  the  good  shepherd ;  the  good  shepherd 
lays  down  his  life  for  the  sheep.     But  the  hireling, 


196  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

who  is  not  the  shepherd,  whose  own  the  sheep  are 
not,  sees  the  wolf  coming,  and  leaves  the  sheep,  and 
the  wolf  seizes  them,  and  scatters  the  sheep.  The 
hireling  flees  because  he  is  a  hireling,  and  cares  not 
for  the  sheep.  I  am  the  good  shepherd,  and  know  my 
sheep,  and  am  known  by  them.  As  the  Father  knows 
me,  even  so  know  I  the  Father ;  and  I  lay  down 
my  life  for  the  sheep.  Other  sheep  I  have  which  are 
not  of  this  fold ;  those  also  I  must  bring  in,  and  they 
will  hear  my  voice,  and  there  will  be  one  fold  and  one 
shepherd.  For  this  my  Father  loves  me,  —  because  I 
lay  down  my  life  that  I  may  take  it  again.  No  man 
takes  it  from  me.  I  lay  it  down  of  myself.  I  have 
power  to  lay  it  down,  and  power  to  take  it  again. 
This  charge  have  I  received  of  my  Father." 

There  was  a  division  among  the  Jews,  on  account 
of  these  sayings ;  many  of  them  saying,  "  He  has 
a  demon,  and  is  mad ;  why  hear  you  him  ?  "  others, 
"  These  are  not  the  words  of  one  who  has  a  demon. 
Can  a  demon  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind  ? " 

As  Jesus  walked  in  the  temple  in  Solomon's  porch, 
the  Jews  came  about  him,  and  said,  "  How  long 
will  you  keep  us  in  doubt.'*  If  you  are  the  Christ  tell 
us  plainly."  Jesus  answered,  "  I  have  told  you,  and 
you  do  not  believe.  The  works  that  I  do  in  my 
Father's  name  bear  testimony  to  me  ;  but  you  believe 
not,  because  you  are  not  of  my  sheep.  As  I  told  you, 
my  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they 
follow  me.  I  give  them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall 
never  perish  ;  nor  shall  any  man  pluck  them  out  of  my 
hand.  My  Father,  who  gave  them  to  me,  is  greater 
than  all ;    and  no  one  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of 


THE    RAISING    OF    LAZARUS.  I  97 

my  Father's  hand.  I  and  my  Father  are  one."  Then 
again  the  Jews  took  up  stones  to  stone  him  ;  but  Jesus 
said  to  them,  "  Many  good  works  have  I  shown  you 
from  my  Father ;  for  which  of  these  do  you  stone 
me } "  They  answered,  "  For  no  good  work  do  we 
stone  you,  but  for  blasphemy ;  because  you,  being  a 
man,  make  yourself  God."  Jesus  answered  them,  "  Is 
it  not  written  in  3^our  law,  '  I  said.  Ye  are  gods  ? '  If 
those  are  called  gods  to  whom  the  words  of  God 
came,  —  and  this  Scripture  cannot  be  set  aside,  —  say 
you  of  him  whom  the  Father  has  sanctified,  and  sent 
into  the  world,  '  you  blaspheme,'  because  he  has  said, 
'  I  am  the  Son  of  God  }'  If  I  do  not  the  works  of  my 
Father,  believe  me  not.  But  if  I  do,  though  you  believe 
not  me,  believe  the  works,  and  through  them  know 
that  the  Father  is  in  me,  and  I  in  him."  Then  they 
sought  again  to  take  him  ;  but  he  escaped  out  of  their 
hands,  and  went  away  beyond  the  Jordan,  to  the 
place  where  John  at  first  baptized,  and  there  he  re- 
mained. And  many  came  to  him  there,  who  said, 
"John,  indeed,  did  no  miracle  ;  but  all  that  John  said 
of  this  man  is  true."  And  many  there  believed  in  him. 
Now^  a  certain  man  was  sick,  —  Lazarus  of  Beth- 
any, the  town  of  Mary  and  Martha.  This  Mary  whose 
brother  Lazarus  was  sick,  was  the  same  who  after- 
'wards  anointed  the  Lord  with  ointment,  and  wiped 
his  feet  with  the  hair  of  her  head.  Then  the  sisters 
sent  to  Jesus  to  say,  "  Lord,  lo  !  he  whom  you  love  is 
sick."  Now  he  loved  Martha,  and  her  sister,  and 
Lazarus  ;  and  on  hearing  this,  he  said  :  "  This  sickness 
is  not  to  death,  but  for  the  glory  of  God,  —  that  the 
Son  of  God  may  be  glorified  by  it." 
17* 


198  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

He  remained  two  days  in  the  place  where  he  was  ; 
then  he  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Let  us  go  into  Judea 
again."  They  answered,  '^  Master,  the  Jews  of  late 
sought  to  stone  you  ;  and  would  you  go  there  again : " 
Jesus  answered,  "  Are  there  not  twelve  hours  in  the 
day  ?  He  who  walks  in  the  day  stumbles  not,  because 
he  sees  the  light  of  this  world ;  if  a  man  walk  in  the 
night  he  stumbles,  because  there  is  no  light  in  him." 
This  he  spoke,  and  afterwards  said,  "  Our  friend  Laz- 
arus is  sleeping ;  but  I  go  to  awake  him  out  of  sleep." 
Then  said  his  disciples,  "  Lord,  if  he  sleep,  he  will  do 
well."  Jesus  spoke  of  his  death  ;  but  they  thought  he 
had  spoken  onh^  of  taking  rest  in  sleep.  Then  Jesus 
said  to  them  plainly,  "  Lazarus  is  dead ;  and  I  am  glad 
for  your  sakes  that  I  was  not  there,  that  your  faith  may 
be  confirmed.  Let  us  go  to  him  ?  "  Then  Thomas, 
who  is  called  Didymus,  said  to  his  fellow  disciples, 
"  Let  us  also  go,  and  die  with  him." 

When  Jesus  came  there,  he  found  that  Lazarus  had 
already  been  in  the  grave  four  days.  Now  Bethany 
was  near  Jerusalem,  about  fifteen  furlongs  oft^;  and 
many  of  the  Jews  had  come  to  Mary  and  Martha,  to 
comfort  them  for  their  brother.  Then  Martha,  as  soon 
as  she  heard  that  Jesus  was  coming,  ran  to  meet  him  ; 
but  Mary  sat  still  in  the  house.  And  Martha  said  to 
Jesus,  "  Lord,  if  you  had  been  here,  my  brother  would 
not  have  died.  But  I  know  that  even  now,  whatever 
you  ask  of  God,  God  will  give  you."  Jesus  said  to 
her,  "Your  brother  will  rise  again."  Martha  said  to 
him,  "I  know  that  he  will  rise  again,  in  the  resurrec- 
tion  at  the  last  day."     Jesus  said  to  her,  "  I  am  the 

/  k»ozv  he  Tvi'll  rise  at  the  last  day.  — The  Pharisees  believed 
in  the  resurrection  of  the  body  at  a  general  judgment. 


THE    RAISING    OF    LAZARUS.  1 99 

resurrection  and  the  life  ;  he  who  beheves  in  me  though 
he  should  die,  will  yet  live  ;  and  whoever  lives  and  be- 
lieves in  me,  will  never  die.  Believe  you  this  ? "  She 
said  to  him,  "  Yea,  Lord,  I  believe  that  you  are  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God.  He  who  was  to  come  into  the 
world."  And  when  she  had  said  this  she  called  Mary, 
her  sister,  saying :  "  The  Master  is  here,  and  calls  for 
you."  As  soon  as  Mary  heard  this,  she  rose  hastily, 
and  went  to  him. 

Now  Jesus  had  not  entered  the  town,  but  was  in  the 
place  where  Martha  met  him.  The  Jews  then,  who 
were  with  Mary  in  the  house,  comforting  her,  seeing 
her  rise  and  go  out,  followed,  saying :  '•  She  goes  to 
the  tomb  to  weep  there."  Then  Mary,  coming  to 
where  Jesus  was,  and  seeing  him,  fell  down  at  his  feet, 
saying,  "  Lord,  if  you  had  been  here,  my  brother 
would  not  have  died."  When  Jesus  saw  her  weeping, 
and  the  Jews  who  came  with  her,  also  weeping,  he 
groaned  in  spirit,  and  was  troubled.  And  he  said, 
"Where  have  you  laid  him?"  They  said  "Come 
and  see."  Jesus  wept.  Then  said  the  Jews,  "  See 
how  he  loved  him? "  But  some  of  them  said,  "  Could 
not  he  wdio  opened  the  eyes  of  the  blind  have  saved 
this  man  from  death  ?  " 

Jesus,  still  groaning  in  himself,  came  to  the  grave. 
It  was  a  cave,  and  a  stone  lay  upon  it.  Jesas  said, 
"  Take  away  the  stone."  Martha,  the  sister  of  the 
man  who  was  dead,  said  to  him,  '•  Lord,  by  this  time 
the  body  is  offensive,  for  he  has  been  dead  four  days." 

A  Cave  is  still  shown  as  being  the  tomb  occupied  by  the 
body  of  Lazarus.  It  is  of  only  doubtful  authenticity.  It 
is,  however,  a  most  striking  fact,  that  Bethany  now  bears  his 
name,  being  called,  el-Azarxyeh  or  Lazarieh, 


200  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

Jesus  said  to  her,  "  Did  I  not  tell  you  that  if  you  would 
believe,  you  should  see  the  glory  of  God?"  Then  they 
took  away  the  stone,  and  Jesus,  raising  his  eyes  to 
heaven,  said:  "Father,!  thank  thee  that  thou  hast 
heard  me,  and  I  know  that  thou  hearest  me  always ; 
but  I  speak  thus  because  of  the  people  who  are  stand- 
ing round ;  that  they  may  believe  that  thou  hast 
sent  me."  Having  said  this,  he  cried  with  a  loud 
voice,  "  Lazarus,  come  forth  !  "  And  the  dead  man 
came  forth,  bound  hand  and  foot  with  grave  clothes ; 
and  his  face  bound  about  with  a  napkin.  Jesus  said 
to  them,  "  Loose  him,  and  let  him  go."  Then  many 
of  the  Jews  who  came  with  Mary,  and  saw  what  Jesus 
had  done,  believed  on  him  ;  but  some  of  them  went  to 
the  Pharisees,  and  told  what  Jesus  had  done.* 

Then  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  held  a  council, 
saying:  "What  are  we  to  do?  This  man  is  doing 
many  wonderful  works ;  and  if  we  let  him  alone,  all 
the  people  will  believe  in  him,  and  the  Romans  will 
come  and  take  away  both  our  place  and  nation."  But 
one  of  them  named  Caiaphas,  who  was  High  Priest 
that  year,  said  to  them,  "  You  know  nothing  at  all ; 
nor  do  you  consider  that  it  is  better  for  us  that  one 
man  should  die  for  the  people,  than  that  the  whole 
nation  should  be  destroyed."  This  he  said  not  from 
himself,  but,  being  High  Priest  that  year,  he  prophesied 
that  Jesus  was  about  to  die  for  the  nation  ;  and  not  for 
the  nation  only,  but  to  bring  together,  in  one  body,  the 
children  of  God  wherever  scattered.  Then  from  that 
day  they  took  counsel  together,  how  to  put  him  to 
death.     Jesus,  therefore,  no  longer   appeared   openly 

*  John  xi.  1-46. 


CURES    AN    INFIRM    -WOMAN.  20I 

among  the  Jews,  but  went  to  the  country  near  the 
desert,  to  a  town  called  Ephraim,  and  there  continued 
with  his  disciples.  And  great  multitudes  resorted  to 
him  there,  and  he  healed  them  ;  and,  as  he  was  wont, 
taught  them  also.* 

And  in  one  of  the  Synagogues,  in  which  he  was 
teaching  on  the  Sabbath,  there  was  a  woman  who  had 
been  afflicted  with  a  spirit  of  infirmity  for  eighteen 
years,  and  was  bowed  together,  and  unable  to  raise 
herself.  When  Jesus  saw  her  he  called  her  to  him, 
and  said,  "  Woman,  you  are  freed  from  your  infirm- 
ity." And  he  laid  his  hands  on  her,  and  imme- 
diately she  stood  up,  and  gave  gloiy  to  God  ;  but  the 
ruler  of  the  Synagogue,  being  angry  because  Jesus 
had  done  this  on  the  Sabbath,  said  to  the  people : 
"  There  are  six  days  in  which  people  can  work  ;  there- 
fore, in  them  come  and  be  healed,  and  not  on  the 
Sabbath."  The  Lord  then  answered  him,  "  Hypo- 
crite !  Does  one  of  you  on  the  Sabbath  not  loose  his 
ox,  or  his  ass  from  the  stall,  and  lead  him  away  to 
w^atering?  And  should  not  this  woman  —  a  daughter 
of  Abraham, — whom  Satan  has  bound,  lo !  these 
eighteen  years,  be  loosed  from  this  bond  on  the  Sab- 
bath day?"  When  he  said  this  his  opposers  were 
ashamed.  And  all  the  people  rejoiced  for  all  the 
glorious  things  he  was  doing. f 

As  Jesus  was  going  through  the  cities  and  vil- 
lages teaching,  on  his  way  to  Jerusalem,  one  said 
to  him  :  "  Lord,  will  only  a  few  be  saved?"  And  he 
said  to  them,  "  Strive  to  enter  at  the  strait  gate ;  for 

♦John  xi.  47-54.     Mark  x.  i. 
tLuke  xiii.  10-17. 


203  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

many,  I  say  to  you,  will  seek  to  enter  and  will  not  be 
able.  When  once  the  master  of  the  house  has  risen, 
and  shut  to  the  door,  you  will  stand  without  and  knock, 
saying,  '  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us,'  and  he  Avill  answer 
you,  '  I  know  not  whence  you  are.'  Then  will  you 
say,  "  We  have  eaten  and  drunk  in  thy  presence,  and 
thou  has  taught  in  our  streets.'  But  he  will  answer, 
'  I  tell  you,  I  know  not  whence  you  are.  Depart  from 
me,  all  you  workers  of  iniquity.'  There  will  be  weep- 
ing and  gnashing  of  teeth  when  you  see  Abraham, 
and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets,  in  the 
kingdom  of  God,  and  are  yourselves  shut  out.  And 
men  will  come  from  the  east,  and  the  west,  and  the 
north,  and  the  south,  and  take  places  at  table  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  ;  and  those  who  are  first  will  be 
last,  and  those  who  are  last  will  be  first." 

The  same  day  certain  Pharisees  came  to  him,  say- 
ing, ''  Go  away  from  here,  for  Herod  designs  to  kill 
you."  He  said  to  them,  "  Go,  and  tell  that  fox, 
Lo  !  I  cast  out  demons  and  do  cures,  to-day  and  to- 
morrow, and  on  the  third  day  my  work  will  be  finished. 
But  I  must  work  to-day,  and  to-morrow,  and  the  day 
following ;  for  it  cannot  be  that  a  prophet  should 
perish  out  of  Jerusalem."  * 

He  went  into  the  house  of  one  of  the  chief  Phar- 
isees to  eat  on  the  Sabbath,  and  those  present  were 
watching  him.  And  lo !  a  certain  man  who  had 
a  dropsy  came  to  him,  and  Jesus  said  to  the  teachers 
of  the  law  and  the  Pharisees,  "  Is  it  lawful  to  cure 
on  the  Sabbath  ? "  But  they  held  their  peace  ;  and 
taking  the  man,  he  healed  him,  and  letting  him  go, 

*Luke  xiii.  22-35. 


CURES    A    MAX    OF     DROPSY.  203 

said  to  them,  "  Is  there  any  one  of  you,  who,  if 
his  ass  or  his  ox  should  fall  into  a  pit  on  the  Sabbath, 
would  not  at  once  draw  him  out?"  And  they  could 
make  him  no  answer  to  these  words. 

Observing  how  those  who  were  bidden  chose  out 
the  highest  places  at  the  table,  he  spoke  a  parable 
to  them,  saying :  "  When  you  are  asked  by  any  one 
to  a  wedding  do  not  take  the  highest  place ;  lest  one 
more  desendng  of  honor  than  you  be  bidden,  and  he 
that  bade  3'ou  should  come,  and  say,  '  Give  this  man 
place,'  and  3'ou  with  shame  have  to  take  a  lower  seat. 
But  when  you  are  bidden  take  the  lowest  place  ;  that 
when  he  who  bade  you  come,  he  may  say  to  you, 
"  Friend,  go  up  higher."  Then  you  will  be  honored 
in  the  presence  of  the  other  guests.  For,  whoever 
exalts  himself  will  be  humbled,  and  he  who  humbles 
himself  will  be  exalted."  Then  he  said  also  to  him 
w4io  had  invited  him,  "  When  you  make  a  dinner  or  a 
supper,  ask  not  your  friends,  nor  your  brethren,  nor 
your  kinsmen,  nor  your  rich  neighbors  ;  lest  they  ask 
you  in  return,  and  you  be  repaid.  But  when  you 
make  a  feast,  invite  the  poor,  the  maimed,  the  lame, 
and  the  blind,  and  you  will  be  blessed  ;  for  they  cannot 
repay  you  ;  but  you  will  be  repaid  in  the  resurrection 
of  the  just." 

On  hearing  this,  one  of  the  guests  said,  "  Blessed  is 
he  who  shall  eat  bread  in  the  kingdom  of  God."  Jesus 
said  to  him,  "  A  certain  man  made  a  great  feast,  and  at 
sujDper  time  he  sent  his  servant  to  say  to  those  who 
were  bidden,  '  Come,  for  all  things  are  now  ready.' 
But  with  one  accord  they  all  began  to  make  excuses. 
The  first  said  to  him,  '  I  have  bought  a  piece  of  ground, 


204  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

and  must  go  and  see  it.  I  pray  you,  have  me 
excused.'  Another  said,  '  I  have  bought  five  yoke 
of  oxen,  and  go  to  try  them.  I  pray  you,  have  me 
excused.*  And  another  said,  '  I  have  married  a  vs^ife  ; 
and  therefore  I  cannot  come.'  So,  the  servant  returned 
and  told  his  lord  what  they  said.  The  master,  being 
angry,  said  to  his  servant,  "  Go  out  quickly  into  the 
streets  and  lanes  of  the  city,  and  bring  here  the  poor, 
the  maimed,  the  lame,  and  the  blind."  Afterw^ard,  the 
sen^ant  said  to  him,  '  Lord,  it  is  done  as  you  com- 
manded ;  and  yet  there  is  room.'  His  lord  said  to  him, 
'  Go  out  now  into  the  highways  and  hedges,  and  con- 
strain all  you  find  to  come  in,  that  my  house  may  be 
full ;  for,  I  say  to  you,  that  none  of  those  who  have 
been  bidden  shall  taste  of  my  supper." 

And  great  multitudes  were  following  him,  and  he 
turned  and  said  to  them,  "  If  any  man  come  to  me  and 
hate  not  his  father,  and  mother,  and  wife,  and  children, 
and  brothers  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he 
cannot  be  my  disciple.  And  whoever  does  not  follow 
me,  bearing  his  cross  daily,  cannot  be  my  disciple. 
Which  of  you,  building  a  tower,  sits  not  down  first 
and  counts  the  cost,  whether  he  have  enough  to  finish 
it?  lest  having  laid  the  foundation,  and  not  being  able 
to  finish,  all  who  look  on  should  mock  him,  saying : 
'  This  man  began  to  build,  and  was  not  able  to  finish.' 
Or  what  king  going  to  war  with  another  king,  sits  not 
down  first  and  consults  whether  he  with  ten  thousand, 
will  be  able  to  meet  the  one  who  comes  against  him 
with  twenty  thousand?  If  not,  while  the  other  is  still 
at  a  great  distance,  will  he  not  send  an  embassy,  and 
sue  for  peace  ?     No  one  of  you  who  does  not  renounce 


PARABLE    OF   THE    PRODIGAL    SON.  205 

all  that  he  has,  can  be  my  disciple.  He  that  has  ears 
to  hear  let  him  hear."  * 

Then  all  the  tax-gatherers  and  sinners  drew  near  to 
hear  him ;  and  the  Pharisees  and  Scribes  murmured, 
saying :  "  This  man  receives  sinners  and  eats  with 
them."  And  he  spoke  to  them  in  a  parable,  saying : 
"  Who  of  you  having  a  hundred  sheep,  should  he  lose 
one  of  them,  does  not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine  in  the 
wilderness,  and  go  after  the  lost  one  until  he  find  it : 
and  haviag  found  it,  does  he  not  lay  it  on  his  shoulders 
rejoicing?  And  when  he  comes  home,  does  he  not  call 
together  his  friends  and  neighbors,  saying,  '  Rejoice 
with  me,  for  I  have  found  my  sheep  which  was  lost.' 
I  tell  you,  that  thus  there  is  joy  in  heaven  over  one 
sinner  that  repents,  more  than  over  ninety  and  nine 
just  persons,  who  need  no  repentance.  Either  what 
woman  having  ten  pieces  of  silver,  if  she  lose  one 
piece,  does  not  light  a  lamp,  and  sweep  the  house, 
and  seek  carefully  till  she  find  it?  and  having  found 
it,  does  she  not  call  her  friends  and  neighbors  together, 
saying  :  '  Rejoice  with  me  ;  for  I  have  found  the  piece 
I  had  lost.'  Thus  I  tell  you.  There  is  joy  among 
the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that  repents." 

He  said  also,  ^'  A  certain  man  had  two  sons ;  and 
the  younger  of  them  said  to  his  father,  '  Father,  give  me 

Light  a  Lamp.  —  Houses  in  the  East  were  so  badly  lighted 
that  to  find  a  small  object  it  would  be  necessary  to  use  a  lamp 
even  in  the  day  time.  This  is  shown  from  the  relics  of  Her- 
culanean  and  Pompeii,  where  the  smaller  houses  have  no 
windows  at  all,  and  in  such  larger  ones  as  have  them  they  are 
only  loopholes. 

*  Luke  xiv.  25-33. 
18 


205  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

the  portion  of  the  estate  that  falls  to  me.'  And  he 
divided  between  them  his  living.  And  not  many  days 
after,  the  younger  son,  gathering  all  together,  took  a 
journey  to  a  far  country,  and  there  wasted  his  property 
in  dissolute  living.  But  when  he  had  spent  all,  there 
was  a  great  famine  in  that  country,  and  he  began  to  be 
in  want.  And  for  support  he  attached  himself  to  a 
citizen  of  that  country,  who  sent  him  into  his  fields  to 
feed  swine.  And  he  longed  to  fill  himself  with  the 
pods  that  the  swine  ate  :  but  no  one  gave  him  any. 
When  he  came  to  himself,  he  said,  '  How  many 
hired  servants  of  my  father  have  food  enough,  and  to 
spare,  while  I  am  perishing  here  with  hunger.  I  will 
arise  and  go  to  my  father,  and  say  to  him :  "Father,  I 
have  sinned  against  heaven  and  against  you  ;  I  am  no 
longer  worthy  to  be  your  son :  make  me  one  of  your 
hired  servants." '  And  he  set  out  to  go  to  his  father  ; 
but,  while  he  was  yet  a  great  way  off*,  his  father  saw 
him,  and  had  pity  on  him,  and  ran,  and  fell  on  his 
neck,  and  kissed  him.  But  the  son  said  to  him : 
'  Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven,  and  against 
you,  and  am  no  longer  worth}^  to  be  your  son.'  But 
the  father  said  to  his  sei*vants,  '  Bring  out  the  best 
robe  and  put  it  on  him  ;  and  put  a  ring  on  his  hand, 
and  sandals  on  his  feet ;  and  bring  the  fatted  calf,  and 
kill  it,  and  let  us  eat  and  be  merry ;  for  this  my  son 
was  dead,  and  is  alive  again  ;  was  lost,  and  is  found.' 
And  they  began  to  make  merry.     His  elder  son  was  in 

To  feed  Swine.  —  This  was  looked  upon  as  a  most  degrade 
ing  and  contemptible  employment. 

The  best  robe.  —  A  long  garment  never  worn  by  servants. 
Rings  and  shoes  were  also  articles  worn  only  by  the  better 
classes. 


THE    WISE    STEWARD.  207 

the  field ;  and  as  he  drew  near  to  the  house,  he  heard 
the  music  and  dancing,  and  calling  one  of  the  servants, 
he  asked  what  it  meant.  The  servant  told  him,  'Your 
brother  has  come,  and  your  father  has  killed  the  fatted 
calf;  because  he  has  received  him  safe  and  sound.' 
And  he  was  angry,  and  would  not  go  in.  Then  his 
father  went  out  to  enti'eat  him  ;  but  he  said  to  his  father, 
'  Lo  !  these  many  years  have  I  served  you,  and  never 
transgressed  your  commands,  and  yet  you  never  gave 
me  a  kid  that  I  might  feast  with  my  friends  ;  but 
as  soon  as  this  your  'son  came,  who  has  wasted 
your  substance  with  harlots,  you  have  killed  for  him 
the  fatted  calf.'  Then  his  father  said  to  him,  '  Son, 
you  are  ahvays  with  me,  and  all  that  I  have  is  yours  ; 
but  it  was  right  to  make  merry,  and  be  glad  ;  for  this 
your  brother  was  dead,  and  is  alive  again,  was  lost, 
and  is  found.'  "  * 

Jesus  said  also  to  his  disciples,  "  A  certain  rich 
man  had  a  steward  who  was  accused  of  wasting  his 
goods  ;  and  he  sent  for  him,  and  said  to  him  :  '  What 
is  this  I  hear  of  you  ?  Give  an  account  of  your  stew- 
ardship ;  for  you  can  be  no  longer  steward.'  Then  the 
steward  said  to  himself,  '  What  shall  I  do,  now  that 
my  lord  takes  away  my  stewardship  ?  I  cannot  dig, 
to  beg  I  am  ashamed.  I  am  resolved  what  to  do,  that 
w^hen  I  am  put  out  of  the  stewardship  others  may 
receive  me  into  their  houses.'  So  he  called  to  him 
every  one  of  his  lord's  debtors,  and  said  to  the  first, 
'  How  much  do  you  owe  my  lord  ? '  And  he  said,  '  A 
hundred  measures  of  oil.'  Then  he  said  to  him,  '  Take 
your  contract,  and  sit  down  at  once,  and  write  fifty.' 

♦Luke  XV.  1-32. 


2o8  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

Then  he  said  to  another, '  And  how  much  do  you  owe?' 
He  said,  '  A  hundred  measures  of  wheat.'  And  he  said 
to  him, '  Take  your  contract  and  write  fourscore.'  The 
lord  commended  the  unjust  steward  for  acting  with 
forethought ;  and  the  children  of  this  world,  show  more 
wisdom  in  their  dealings  than  the  children  of  light. 
And  I  say  to  you,  make  to  yourselves  friends  with  the 
riches  of  this  world,  so  that  when  you  fail  they  may 
welcome  you  to  everlasting  habitations. 

*'  He  who  is  faithful  in  what  is  least,  will  be  faithful 
also  in  much.  And  he  who  is  unjust  in  the  least,  will 
be  unjust  also  in  much.  If,  then,  3^ou  are  not  faith- 
ful in  the  riches  of  this  world ;  who  will  commit 
to  your  trust  the  true  riches?  And  if  you  are  not 
faithful  in  that  which  is  another  man's  ;  who  will  give 
you  that  which  is  your  own."  * 

And  the  Pharisees,  who  were  covetous,  heard  all 
this,  and  they  derided  him.  He  said  to  them,  "You 
make  yourselves  appear  righteous  before  men  ;  but 
God  knows  your  hearts  ;  and  what  is  highly  esteemed 
among  men,  is  an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God. 

"  There  was  a  certain  rich  man  who  was  clothed  in 
purple  and  fine  linen,  and  fared  sumptuously  every 
day.  And  there  was  a  beggar  named  Lazarus,  who 
was  laid  at  his  gate,  covered  with  sores,  and  desiring 
to  be  fed  with  the  crumbs  which  fell  from  the  rich 
man's  table ;  and  even  the  dogs  came  and  licked  his 
sores.  And  the  beggar  died,  and  was  carried  by 
angels  to  Abraham's  bosom.  The  rich  man  also  died 
and  was  buried,  and  in  Hades  he  lifted  up  his  eyes, 

*  Luke  xiv.  1-13. 


THE    RICH    MAN    AND    LAZARUS.  209 

being  in  torment,  and  saw  Abraham  afar  off,  and 
Lazarus  in  his  bosom.  And  he  called  out  to  him,  say- 
ing :  '  Father  Abraham,  have  pity  on  me,  and  send 
Lazarus  to  dip  the  end  of  his  finger  in  water,  to  cool 
m,y  tongue  ;  for  I  am  tormented  in  this  flame.'  But 
Abraham  said,  '  Son,  remember  that  thou  in  thy  life- 
time didst  receive  good  things  as  Lazaiais  received  evil 
things ;  but  now  he  is  comforted,  and  thou  art  tor- 
mented. And  besides  all  this,  there  is  between  us  and 
you,  a  gi'eat  gulf,  so  that  those  who  would  pass  from 
us  to  you  cannot,  neither  can  those  pass  to  us  who 
would  come  from  you.'  Then  the  rich  man  said,  '  I 
pray  thee.  Father,  that  thou  would'st  send  him  to  my 
father's  house,  for  I  have  five  brothers,  to  bear  testi- 
mony to  them  ;  that  they  also  may  not  come  to  this 
place  of  torment.'  Abraham  said  to  him,  '  They 
have  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  let  them  hear  them.' 
But  he  said,  '  Nay,  father  Abraham  ;  but  if  one  should 
go  to  them  from  the  dead  they  would  repent.'  Abra- 
ham said  to  him,  '  If  they  hear  not  Moses  and  the 
Prophets,  they  would  not  be  persuaded  even  though 
one  rose  from  the  dead.' "  * 

Then  the  apostles  said  to  the  Lord,  "  Increase  our 
faith."  And  the  Lord  said,  "  If  you  had  fiiith  as  a  grain 
of  mustard  seed,  you  might  say  to  this  Sycamine 
tree,  '  Be  thou  plucked  up  by  the  root,  and  planted 
in  the  sea,'  and  it  would  obey  you  ;  but  which  of  you 
having  a  servant  ploughing  or  feeding  cattle  would 
say  to  him,  when  he  came  from  the  field,  '  Come, 
place  yourself  at  table.'  Would  he  not  rather  say  to 
him,  '  Make  ready  my  supper,  gird  yourself,  and  serve 

*Luke  xvi.  iq-^i. 
18*  ^^       . 


2IO  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

me  till  I  have  eaten  and  drunken,  and  then  you  shall 
eat  and  drink?'  Would  he  thank  that  servant  for 
doing  as  he  had  been  commanded?  I  think  not. 
Thus,  when  you  have  done  all  you  are  commanded, 
you  should  say,  '  We  are  unprofitable  servants,  we 
have  done  only  what  was  our  duty  to  do.' "  * 

On  being  asked  by  the  Pharisees   when  the  king- 
dom of  God    should   come,  Jesus    answered,    "  The 
kingdom  of  God  comes  not  in  outward  appearance  ; 
nor  will  men  say  Lo  !  it  is  here  !  or  Lo  !  it  is  there  !  for 
the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you."    And  he  said  to  his 
disciples,  "  The  time  will  come  when  you  will  desire 
to  see  one  of  the  days  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  will 
not  see  it.     And  men  will  say,  Lo  !  he  is  here !  and 
Lo !   he  is  there !  but  go  not  forth,  nor  follow  them. 
For  the  day  of  the  Son  of  Man  will  be  like  the  light- 
ning which  flashes  over  the  whole  heaven  ;    but  he 
must  first  suffer  much,  and  be  rejected  by  this  genera- 
tion.    As  it  was  in  the  days  of  Noah,  so  will  it  be  in 
the  days  of  the  Son  of  Man.     Men  were  eating  and 
drinking,  marrying  and  giving  in  marriage,  until  the 
day  when  Noah  entered  the  ark,  and  the  flood  came, 
and  destroyed  them    all.     So,  also,   as  it  was  in  the 
days  of  Lot ;    they  were  eating  and  drinking,  buying 
and  selling,  planting  and  building ;  but  the  same  day 
that  Lot  left  Sodom  it  rained  fire  and  brimstone  from 
heaven,  and  destroyed  them   all.     Even  so  will  it  be 
at  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man.     Then  let  him  who 
is  on  the  housetop  not  come  down  to  take  anything 
out  of  his  house  ;   and  let  him  who  is  in  the  field  not 
turn  back.     Remember  Lofs   wife.     Whoever   shall 

*  Luke  xvii.  5-10. 


THE    UNJUST  JUDGE.  211 

seek  to  save  his  life,  will  lose  it,  and  whoever  shall  lose 
his  life,  will  save  it.  I  tell  you,  in  that  night  there  will 
be  two  in  one  bed ;  one  will  be  taken,  the  other 
will  be  left.  Two  women  will  be  grinding  together  ; 
the  one  will  be  taken,  and  the  other  left.  Two  men 
will  be  in  the  field  ;  the  one  will  be  taken,  the  other 
left."  And  they  said  to  him  "Where  Lord?"  And 
he  answered  them,  "Wherever  the  body  is,  there  the 
eagles  will  gather  together."  * 

And  he  taught  his  disciples  by  a  parable  that  men 
ought  to  pray  always,  and  not  to  flint,  saying  :  "  There 
was  in  a  certain  city  a  judge,  who  feared  not  God,  nor 
regarded  man  ;  and  there  was  a  widow  in  the  same 
city,  who  came  to  him,  saying,  '  Avenge  me  on  him 
who  has  wronged  me.'  He  would  not  for  a  time ; 
but  afterwards  he  said  to  himself,  '  Though  I  neither 
fear  God,  nor  regard  man  ;  yet,  as  this  widow  troubles 
me,  I  will  avenge  her ;  that  by  her  continual  coming 
she  may  not  weary  me.'  And  the  Lord  said,  '  Hear 
what  the  unjust  judge  determined.'  And  will  not  God 
avenge  his  own  chosen  who  cry  to  him  day  and  night, 
though  he  delay  long  in  their  cause  ?  I  tell  you  he  will 
avenge  them  speedily.  But  when  the  Son  of  Man 
comes  will  he  find  this  faith  in  the  land?" 

To  some  who  trusted  in  themselves,  thinking  that 
they  were  righteous,  and  despised  others,  he  spoke 
this  parable  :  "  Two  men  v^ent  up  to  the  temple  to 
pray ;  the  one  a  Pharisee,  the  other  a  tax-gatherer. 
The  Pharisee  stood,  and  prayed  thus  within  himself, 
'  O,  God,  1  thank  thee  that  I  am  not  like  other  men  ; 
extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers;  or  even  like  this  tax- 

*  Luke  xvii.  20-37. 


213  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

gatherer.  I  fast  twice  in  the  week,  I  give  tithes  of  all 
I  possess.'  But  the  tax-gatherer,  standing  afar  off, 
would  not  so  much  as  lift  his  eyes  to  heaven,  but 
smote  on  his  breast,  saying,  '  God,  be  merciful  to 
me  a  sinner.'  I  tell  you,  that  this  man  went  down  to 
his  house  approved  rather  than  the  other.  For  he 
who  exalts  himself,  will  be  humbled ;  and  he  who 
humbles  himself,  will  be  exalted.* 

The  Pharisees  came  to  him,  and  to  ensnare  him, 
asked,  "Is  it  lawful  for  a  man  to  put  away  his  wife, 
for  whatever  cause  he  will?"  He  answered  them, 
"  Have  you  not  read,  that  the  Creator  in  the  beginning 
made  a  male  and  a  female?  And,  it  is  said.  For  this 
cause  a  man  shall  leave  father  and  mother,  and  cleave 
to  his  wife,  and  the  two  shall  be  one.  So,  they  are 
no  longer  two,  but  one.  What,  then,  God  has  joined 
together,  let  not  man  put  asunder."  They  said  to  him, 
"  Wh}^,  then,  did  Moses  allow  a  writing  of  divorcement 
to  put  the  wife  away?"  He  said  to  them,  "Moses, 
because  of  your  hardness  of  heart,  allowed  you  to  put 
away  your  wives  ;  but  in  the  beginning  it  was  not  so. 
And,  I  say  to  you,  whoever  puts  away  his  wife,  except 
for  adultery,  and  marries  another,  commits  adultery. 
And  whoever  marries  her  who  is  put  away,  commits 
adultery." 

And  when  they  were  in  the  house,  his  disciples  said 
to  him,  "  If  the  case  of  a  man  be  such  with  his  wife, 
it  is  better  not  to  marry."  He  said  to  them,  "  All  men 
are  not  capable  of  this,  only  those  to  whom  it  is  given. 
There  are  eunuchs  who  are  so  from  their  birth,  and 
there  are  eunuchs  who  are  made  so  by  men ;    and 

*  Luke  xviii.  1-14. 


ANSWERS    A    CERTAIN    RULER.  213 

there  are  those  who  have  made  themselves  eunuchs 
for  the  sake  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Let  him  who 
is  able  to  receive  this,  receive  it."  * 

Then  young  children  were  brought  to  him,  that  he 
might  put  his  hands  on  them,  and  pra}^  And  his  dis- 
ciples rebuked  those  who  brought  them.  But  when 
Jesus  knew  it  he  was  much  displeased,  and  said, 
"  Let  little  children  come  to  me,  and  forbid  them  not ; 
for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Truly,  I  say 
to  you,  whoever  does  not  receive  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven as  a  little  child  will  not  enter  therein."  And  he 
took  them  in  his  arms,  put  his  hands  upon  them,  and 
blessed  them.f 

And  wdien  he  had  gone  forth,  a  certain  ruler  came, 
running  and  kneeling  to  him  in  the  road,  who  said, 
"  Good  Master,  what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life?" 
And  Jesus  said  to  him,  "Why  call  you  me  good? 
There  is  none  good,  but  one,  that  is  God.  But  if  you 
would  enter  into  life,  keep  the  commandments."  He 
said  to  him,  "Which?"  Jesus  said,  "These;  thou 
shalt  do  no  murder  ;  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery  ; 
Thou  shalt  not  steal ;  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  ; 
Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother ;  and  Thou  shalt 
love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself."  The  young  man  said 
to  him,  "  All  these  have  I  kept  from  my  youth.  What 
lack  I  yet?"  Then  Jesus,  looking  on  him,  loved  him, 
and  said,  "  If  you  would  be  perfect,  go,  sell  what  you 
have  and  give  to  the  poor,  and  you  shall  have  treasure 
in  heaven  ;  and  then  come,  take  up  the  cross,  and  be 
my  disciple."     The  young  man  was  sad  at  these  words, 

*Matt.  xix.  3-12.     Mark  x.  2-13. 
fMatt.  xix.  13-15.     Mark  x.  13-16.     Luke  xviii.  15-17. 


214  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

and  went  away  sorrowful,  for  he  had  great  possessions. 

Then  Jesus,  looking  round  about,  said  to  his  disci- 
ples :  "  How  hard  it  is  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  the 
kingdom  of  God."  And  the  disciples  were  astonished 
at  these  words  ;  but  Jesus  said  again,  "  Children,  how 
hard  it  is  for  those  who  have  riches  to  enter  the  king- 
dom of  God.  It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  go  through 
the  eye  of  a  needle,  than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  the 
kingdom  of  God."  His  disciples  were  astonished 
out  of  measure,  and  said  among  themselves,  "  Who 
then  can  be  saved?"  But  Jesus,  fixing  his  eye  on 
them,  said,  "  To  men  this  would  be  impossible ;  but  to 
God  all  things  are  possible." 

Then  Peter  said  to  him,  "  Lo  !  We  have  forsaken 
all  to  follow  you.  What,  then,  will  be  our  reward?  " 
Jesus  said  to  them,  "  Truly,  I  tell  you,  that  you,  who 
have  followed  me  in  the  regeneration,  when  the  Son 
of  Man  shall  sit  on  the  throne  of  his  glory,  shall 
also  sit  on  twelve  thrones,  ruling  the  twelve  tribes 
of  Israel.  And  every  one  who  has  given  up  houses, 
or  brothers,  or  sisters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or 
children,  or  lands  for  my  sake,  shall  receive  a  hundred 
fold,  and  inherit  eternal  life."  * 

"  But  many  who  are  first  will  be  last,  and  last 
will  be  first.  For  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  a 
householder  who  went  out  early  in  the  morning  to 
hire  laborers  for  his  vineyard.  And  having  agreed 
with  them  for  a  denarius  a  day,  he  sent  them  into  the 
vineyard.  And  going  out  about  the  third  hour,  he 
saw  others  standing  idle  in  the  market-place,  and  he 
said  to  them,   "  Go  you   also  into  my  vineyard,  and 

♦Matt.  xix.  16-30.     Mark  X.  17-31.     Luke  xviii.  18-30. 


THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  LABORERS.       21^ 

whatever  is  right,  I  will  give  you."  And  they  went ; 
and  he  went  out  again  about  the  sixth  and  the  ninth 
hour,  and  did  the  same.  And  about  the  eleventh  hour, 
going  out  again,  he  found  others  standing  idle,  and 
said  to  them,  "  Why  stand  you  here  all  the  day  idle?" 
They  answered,  "  Because  no  one  has  hired  us."  He 
said  to  them,  "  Go  you  also  into  my  vineyard,  and 
whatever  is  right  you  shall  receive."  Then,  in  the 
evening,  the  lord  of  the  vineyard  said  to  his  steward, 
"  Call  the  laborers  and  give  them  their  wages,  begin- 
ning with  the  last  and  going  to  the  first."  And  when 
they  came,  those  who  were  hired  about  the  eleventh 
hour  received  every  one  a  denarius.  So,  when  the 
first  came  they  supposed  they  should  receive  more ; 
but  they  also  received  every  one  a  denarius.  And 
when  they  had  received  it,  they  murmured  against  the 
good  man  of  the  house,  saying,  "  These  last  have 
worked  only  one  hour,  and  you  have  made  them  equal 
to  us,  who  have  borne  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day." 
But  he  answered  one  of  them,  "  Friend,  I  do  thee  no 
wrong.  Did  you  not  agree  with  me  for  a  denarius? 
Take  what  is  yours,  and  go  ;  I  will  give  to  the  last, 
the  same  as  to  you.  May  I  not  do  what  I  will  with 
my  own?  Is  your  eye  evil  because  I  am  good?" 
Thus  the  last  will  be  first,  and  the  first  last ;  and  many 
are  called,  but  few  are  chosen."  * 

And  tliey  were  on  the  road  going  up  to  Jesusalem, 
and  Jesus  was  leading  the  way,  and  they  were  aston- 
ished, and  followed  him  in  fear.  And,  taking  the 
twelve  apart  in  the  road,  he  told  them  what  was  about 
to  befall  him,  saying,  "  Lo  !  we  are  going  up  to  Jerusa- 

*  Matt.  XX.  1-16. 


21 6  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

lem,  and  all  that  has  been  written  by  the  prophets 
concerning  the  Son  of  Man,  will  be  fulfilled.  For  he 
will  be  delivered  to  the  chief  priests,  and  the  teachers 
of  the  law ;  and  they  will  condemn  him  to  death,  and 
deliver  him  to  the  Gentiles ;  who  will  mock  him,  and 
scourge  him,  and  spit  upon  him,  and  crucify  him,  and 
the  third  day  he  will  rise  again."  And  the  meaning 
of  this  was  hidden  from  them ;  so  they  understood 
nothing  of  what  he  said.* 

After  this  the  mother  of  Zebedee's  children  came 
to  him  with  her  sons,  and,  falling  down  before  him, 
they  asked  of  him  a  favor.  And  he  said,  "  What 
would  you  that  I  should  do  for  you  ?  "  She  said  to 
him,  "  Grant  that  these  my  two  sons  may  sit,  the  one 
on  your  right  hand,  the  other  on  your  left,  in  your 
kingdom."  But  Jesus  answered  her,  "  You  know  not 
what  you  ask.  Can  you  drink  of  the  cup  that  I  drink 
of,  and  be  baptized  with  the  baptism  that  I  am  bap- 
tized with?"  They  said  to  him, '' We  can."  Then 
he  said  to  them,  "  You  shall  indeed  drink  of  my 
cup,  and  be  baptized  with  the  baptism  that  I  am  bap- 
tized with ;  but  to  sit  on  my  right  hand,  and  on  my 
left,  is  not  mine  to  give  ;  but  it  shall  be  given  to  them 
for  whom  it  is  prepared  by  my  Father." 

And  when  the  ten  heard  of  this  they  were  angiy 
with  the  two  brothers.  Jesus  called  them  to  him,  and 
said,  "  You  know  that  the  rulers  of  the  Gentiles  lord 
it  over  them,  and  their  great  men  have  them  under 
authority.  It  must  not  be  so  with  you.  But  whoever 
would  be  great  among  you,  let  him  be  your  sei-vant ; 

*  Matt.  XX.  17-19.     Mark  x.  32-34.     Luke  xviii.  31-34. 


CURES    TWO    BLIND    MEN.  21 7 

even  as  the  Son  of  Man  came  not  to  be  sensed,  but  to 
serve,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many."  * 

And  he  came  to  Jericho  with  his  disciples,  a  great 
number  of  peo^^le  following  him ;  and  tsvo  blind 
men  were  sitting  by  the  wayside  begging.  And  one 
of  them,  —  Bartimeus,  the  son  of  Timeus,  —  hearing 
that  it  was  Jesus  of  Nazareth  who  was  passing  by, 
began  to  cry  out,  and  to  say,  "Jesus,  thou  Son  of  David, 
have  mercy  on  me."  And  the  multitude  rebuked  him, 
charging  him  to  hold  his  peace.  But  he  cried  out  the 
more,  "Jesus,  thou  Son  of  David,  have  merey  on  me." 
Then  Jesus  stood  still,  and  directed  them  to  be  brought 
to  him  ;  and  they  called  the  blind  nien^  saying,  "  Be 
of  good  comfort,  rise,  he  calls  for  you."  And  Bartimeus 
casting  away  his  garment  rose,  aiid  with  the  other 
blind  man^  ran  to  Jesus ;  and  Jesus  said  to  them, 
"What  would  you,  that  I  should  do  for  you?  "  The 
blind  men  said  to  him,  "  Lord,  open  our  eyes."  Then 
Jesus  touched  their  eyes,  and  said,  "  Go  your  way ; 
your  faith  has  made  you  w^hole."  And  immediately 
they  received  their   sight,  and   followed  Jesus  in  the 

T-iVo  Blind  Men.  —  Matthew  and  Mark  speak  of  this  mira- 
cle as  taking  place  when  Jesus  was  departing  from  Jericho, 
Luke  of  it  when  he  had  "  come  nigh  "  to  it.  Commentators 
have  attempted  to  explain  the  discrepancy  in  various  ways ; 
but  it  seems  incapable  of  explanation.  The  most  natural 
supposition  is  that  Luke,  who  was  not  an  eye-witness,  made 
an  error  of  fact.  The  discrepancy  proves  conclusively  that 
neither  of  the  first  three  evangelists  saw  the  accounts  that 
were  written  by  the  others,  and  their  narratives  should,  there- 
fore, have  all  the  more  weight. 

Matt.  XX.  20-28.     Mark  x.  35-45. 
19 


2l8  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

way,  glorifying  God.  And  when  they  saw  it,  all  the 
people  gave  praise  to  God.* 

Jesus  entered  and  passed  through  Jericho ;  and 
there  was  a  man  there,  named  Zaccheus,  who  was  the 
chief  tax-gatherer,  and  a  rich  man.  He  was  desirous 
of  seeing  what  sort  of  a  person  Jesus  was,  but 
he  could  not  on  account  of  the  crowd ;  for  he  was 
of  low  stature.  And  running  on  before,  he  climbed 
up  a  Sycamore  tree  to  see  him ;  for  Jesus  was  to  pass 
that  way.  When  Jesus  came  to  the  place,  he  looked 
up,  and  seeing  him,  said  to  him,  "  Zaccheus,  make 
haste,  and  come  down,  for  to-day  I  must  abide  in 
your  house."  He  made  haste,  and  came  down,  and 
and  received  him  joyfully.  And  all  who  saw  it  mur- 
mured, saying,  "  He  is  going  to  be  the  guest  of  a 
sinner."  But  Zaccheus  stood  up,  and  said  to  the  Lord, 
"  Lo  !  Lord,  the  half  of  my  goods  I  give  to  the  poor, 
and  if  I  have  taken  anything  from  any  man  by  false 
accusation,  I  restore  him  four-fold."  And  Jesus  said 
to  him,  "  This  day  has  salvation  come  to  this  house, 
for  he  too,  is  a  son  of  Abraham ;  and  the  Son  of  Man 
came  to  seek  and  to  save  the  lost." 

While  they  were  listening  to  this  he  went  on  to 
speak  a  parable,  because  he  was  near  Jerusalem,  and 
they  thought  the  kingdom  of  God  would  at  once  ap- 
pear. "  A  certain  nobleman,"  he  said,  "  went  to  a  far 
country  to  receive  a  kingdom,  and  then  to  return.  And 
calling  his  ten  servants,  he  gave  them  each  an  equal 
sum  of  money,  and  said  to  them,  '  Employ  this  till  I 
return.'  But  his  countrymen  hated  him,  and  sent  an 
embassy  after  him,  to  say,  '  We  would  not  have  this 

Matt.  XX.  29-34.     Mark  x.  46-53.     Luke  xxiii.  35-43;  xix.  i. 


THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  TALENTS.       219 

man  to  reign  over  us/  And  on  his  return,  after  having 
received  the  kingdom,  he  directed  those  serv^ants  to 
whom  he  had  given  the  money  to  be  called  to  him  ;  to 
know  how  much  each  man  had  gained  by  trading. 
Then  the  first  came,  and  said,  '  Lord,  your  pound  has 
gained  ten  pounds.'  And  said  he  to  him,  '  Well  done, 
good  servant ;  because  you  have  been  faithful  in  a  very 
small  matter,  be  governor  over  ten  cities.'  And  the 
second  came  to  him,  saying,  '  Lord,  your  pound  has 
gained  five  pounds.'  And  he  said  to  him,  '  Be  you 
governor  also  over  five  cities.'  And  another  came,  and 
said,  Lord,  "  Here  is  your  pound  ;  I  have  kept  it  laid 
up  in  a  napkin,  for  I  feared  you ;  because  you  are  a 
hard  man,  taking  up  what  you  did  not  lay  down,  and 
reaping  where  you  did  not  sow.'  His  master  said 
to  him,  '  Out  of  your  own  mouth  will  I  condemn  you, 
you  wicked  servant.  You  knew  that  I  was  a  hard 
man,  taking  up  what  I  did  not  lay  down,  and  reaping 
what  I  did  not  sow.  Why,  then,  gave  you  not  my 
money  to  the  exchangers,  so,  at  my  coming,  I  might 
have  received  it  with  interest.'  And  he  said  to  his 
attendants,  '  Take  from  him  the  pound,  and  give  it  to 
him  that  has  ten  pounds.'  They  said  to  him,  '  Lord, 
he  has  ten  times  as  much  already.'  But,  I  say  to  you, 
'  That  to  every  one  who  has,  more  will  be  given ;  but 
from  him  who  has  not,  even  what  he  has  will  be  taken 
away.  But  as  for  those  mine  enemies,  who  would  not 
that  I  should  reign  over  them,  bring  them  here,  and 
slay  them  before  me."  * 

When  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  went  on  toward  Jeru- 
salem.    And  the   Passover  of  the  Jews  was  at  hand, 

*  Luke  xix.  2-27. 


220  ARRIVES    AT    BETHANY. 

and  mari}^  had  gone  up  to  Jerusalem  from  the  coun- 
try, to  purify  themselves  before  the  Passover.  And 
the  Jews  were  looking  for  Jesus,  and  said  one  to 
another,  as  they  were  standing  in  the  temple,  "  Think 
you  he  will  not  come  to  the  festival  ?  "  Now,  both  the 
chief  priests  and  the  Pharisees,  had  given  orders  that 
if  any  man  knew  where  he  was,  he  should  give  in- 
formation, that  they  might  apprehend  him.  Then 
Jesus,  six  days  before  the  passover,  came  to  Bethany, 
where  Lazarus  was,  whom  he  had  raised  from  the 
dead.  And  a  great  many  of  the  Jews,  knowing  that 
he  was  there,  came,  not  merely  on  account  of  Jesus, 
but  to  see  Lazarus,  whom  he  had  raised  from  the  dead. 
But  the  chief  priests  proposed  to  put  Lazarus  to  death 
also,  because  many  of  the  Jews  on  his  account  drew 
off  from  them,  and  believed  in  Jesus.* 

*  Luke  xix.  2-28.    John  x.  55-57 ;   xii.  i,  9,  11. 


PART     SEVENTH. 

THE  PUBLIC  ENTRY  OF  JESUS  INTO  JERUSA- 
LEM, AND  SUBSEQUENT  TRANSACTIONS. 

Time  —  four  days. 


LIFE    OF    JESUS 


PART    SEVENTH. 

NOW,  the  Jews  who  were  with  Jesus  when  he 
called  Lazarus  from  the  grave,  had  borne  testi- 
mony that  he  raised  him  from  the  dead  ;  and,  for  this 
reason,  the  great  multitude  who  had  come  to  the  festi- 
val, when  they  heard,  the  next  day,  that  Jesus  was 
coming  to  Jerusalem,  took  branches  of  Palm  trees, 
and  went  out  to  meet  him. 

And  when  Jesus  was  near  Jerusalem,  at  Bethphage 
and  Bethany  on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  he  sent  two  of 
his  disciples,  saying:    "  Go  to  the  village  over  against 

Bethphage  and  Bethajty. — Bethany  was  a  small  village  on 
the  eastern  slope  of  the  Mount  of  Olives ;  and  Bethphage  — 
which  signifies  the  "place  of  figs,"  —  is  supposed  to  have 
been  a  plantation  on  the  mountain  devoted  to  the  cultivation 
of  figs.  Bethany  was  located  about  a  mile  from  the  summit 
of  the  mountain,  and  not  far  from  where  the  road  to  Jericho 
makes  an  abrupt  descent  towards  the  valley  of  the  Jordan. 
It  is  now  a  ruinous  hamlet  of  about  twenty  houses,  and  in  it 
are  shown  the  traditional  sites  of  the  house  of  Simon  the 
leper,  and  of  the  house  and  tomb  of  Lazarus. 

The  Moiuit  of  Olives,  is  separated  from  Jerusalem  by  the 
valley  of  the  Kidron,  which  is  dry  in  the  hot  season,  but  the 
bed  of  a  small  stream  in  winter.  It  is  about  a  mile  from  the 
(223) 


224  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

you,  and  on  entering,  you  will  find  an  ass  tied,  and 
a  colt  with  her,  on  which  man  never  sat ;  loose  them, 
and  bring  them  to  me.  And  if  any  one  should  say 
to  you,  'Why  are  you  doing  this?'  tell  him  that  the 
Master  has  need  of  them,  and  he  will  send  them 
directly."  They  went  and  found  the  ass  and  colt,  tied 
at  a  door  in  the  open  street,  at  a  place  where  two 
ways  met,  and  they  loosed  them.  And  as  they  were 
loosing  the  colt,  the  owner,  and  others  standing  by, 
said  :  "Why  are  3'ou  loosing  them?"  They  answered 
as  Jesus  had  directed,  "  The  Master  has  need  of 
them  ;  "  and  they  let  them  go.  Then  they  brought  the 
ass  and  colt  to  Jesus,  and  putting  their  cloaks  upon 
the  colt,  sat  Jesus  thereon. 

All  this  was  done  to  fulfil  what  had  been  written 
by  the  prophet,  "  Tell  ye  the  daughter  of  Zion,  Lo  ! 
thy  kin^  cometh  to  thee,  meek  and  sitting  upon  an  ass, 
and  a  colt  the  foal  of  an  ass." 

As  he  went  a  very  great  multitude  spread  their 
garments  in  the  way  ;  others  cut  down  branches  from 
the  trees,  and  strewed  them  in  the  way  ;  and  when 
they  came  near  the  city,  —  at  the  foot  of  the  Mount 
of  Olives,  —  all  of  his  disciples,  and  the  multitude,  re- 
joicing, began  to  praise  God  with  loud  voices,  for  all 

city,  and  its  summit  affords  a  full  view  of  Jerusalem  and  its 
environs.  There  are  two  roads  from  Bethany  to  Jerusalem, 
one  around  the  southern  slope  of  the  mountain ;  the  other  — 
shorter  but  more  difficult  —  over  its  summit.  This  latter 
is  supposed  to  have  been  the  one  now  taken  bj  Jesus. 

Spread  their  garmejits  in  the  -way.  —  The  custom  of  spread- 
ing garments  and  flowers  in  the  way  of  the  great  has  always 
existed  in  the  East.  With  this  honor  Agrippa  was  received 
when  he  came  to  Jerusalem. 


ENTERS  JERUSALEM.  225 

the  miracles  that  they  had  seen  ;  and  those  that  went 
before,  and  those  that  followed,  cried,  "  Hosannah 
to  the  Son  of  David  :  Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  :  Blessed  be  the  King  that  cometh 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord :  Peace  in  heaven  and  glory 
in  the  highest." 

These  things  his  disciples  did  not  understand  at 
the  time,  but  after  Jesus  was  glorified  they  remem- 
bered that  they  had  been  written  concerning  him,  and 
had  been  done  in  regard  to  him. 

Then  the  Pharisees  said  to  one  another,  "  You  see 
that  we  effect  nothing.  Lo !  the  whole  world  is 
going  after  him."  And  some  of  them  from  among  the 
multitude  said  to  him,  "  Teacher,  rebuke  your  disci- 
ples." He  answered  them :  "  I  tell  you,  if  they 
were  to  hold  their  peace,  the  very  stones  would  cry 
out." 

As  he  came  near,  he  looked  on  the  city,  and  wept 
over  it,  saying ;  "If  thou  hadst  known,  even  at  this 
thy  time,  what  belongs  to  thy  peace  !  but  now  it  is 
hidden  from  thine  eyes  !  For  the  day  will  come  when 
thine  enemies  will  cast  a  trench  about  thee,  and  shut 
thee  in  on  every  side,  and  lay  thee  even  with  the 
ground,  and  thy  children  within  thee,  not  leaving  in 
thee  one  stone  upon  another ;  because  thou  knewest 
not  the  time  of  thy  visitation." 

And  on  his  entry  into  Jerusalem  the  whole  city  was 

Hosan?tah  is  a  Syriac  word  meaning  "  save  I  beseech  thee." 
It  here  seems  equivalent  to,  "  Redress  our  grievances,  and 
save  us  from  our  oppressors ;  "  and  its  use  by  the  multitude 
shows  thej  believed  that  Jesus  had  then  come  to  take  posses- 
sion of  the  (temporal)  Messianic  kingdom. 


226  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

moved,  asking:  "Who  is  he?"  The  multitudes 
answered :  "  It  is  Jesus,  the  prophet  of  Nazareth  in 
Gahlee."  And  he  went  into  the  temple  ;  and  the 
blind,  and  the  lame  came  to  him  there,  and  he  healed 
them.  But  when  the  chief  priests,  and  the  teachers 
of  the  Law,  saw  the  wonders  which  he  did,  and  heard 
the  children  shouting  in  the  temple,  "Hosannah  to  the 
Son  of  David,"  they  were  angry  and  troubled,  and 
said  to  him  :  "  Hear  you  what  these  children  are  say- 
ing?" Jesus  said  to  them:  '-Have  you  never  read 
that  from  the  mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings  there  is 
uttered  praise?"  When  the  evening  had  come  he 
went  out  of  the  city  to  Bethany,  and  lodged  there  with 
the  tAvelve.* 

And  on  the  morning  of  the  morrow,  as  he  returned 
to  the  city  from  Bethany,  he  was  hungry.  And,  see- 
ing a  fig-tree  at  a  distance  in  the  road,  he  went  to  see 
if  he  could  find  fruit  upon  it ;  but  when  he  came  to  it 
he  found  nothing  but  leaves,  for  the  season  of  figs 
had  not  come.  Then  he  said,  "  Let  no  one  eat  fruit 
from  thee  hereafter,  forever."  And  his  disciples  heard 
this. 

And  Jesus  went  into  the  temple,  and  drove  out  those 
who  sold  and  bought,  and  overturned  the  tables  of  the 
money-changers,  and  the  seats  of  those  who  sold  doves, 
and  suftered  no  one  to  carry  anything  through  the 
temple.  And  he  said  to  them,  "  It  is  written,  '  My 
house  shall  be  a  house  of  prayer  for  all  nations  ; '  but 
you  have  made  it  a  den  of  thieves."  The  chief  priests 
and  the  teachers  of  the  Law  heard  what  he  said,  and 

*John  xii.  12-19.  Matt.  xxi.  i-ii,  14-17.  Mark  xi.  i-ii. 
Luke  xix.  29-44. 


ANSWEPvS    THE     PHARISEES.  227 

sought  to  destroy  him  ;  for  they  feared  him,  because  all 
the  people  were  carried  away  by  his  teachings.  But 
in  the  day  time  he  taught  in  the  temple,  and  in  the 
evening  he  went  out  of  the  city,  and  abode  in  the 
Mount  of  Olives.* 

In  the  morning,  as  they  were  passing  by,  they  saw 
the  fig-tree  dried  up  from  the  roots.  And  Peter 
remembered,  and  said  to  Jesus,  "  Rabbi,  see  !  the  tree 
which  you  cursed  has  withered  away."  Jesus  an- 
swered, "  Have  faith  in  God  ;  for  I  tell  you  in  truth 
that  if  you  have  faith  and  doubt  not,  you  shall  not 
only  do  what  has  been  done  to  this  fig-tree,  but  you 
shall  say  to  this  mountain,  '  Be  thou  taken  up,  and 
cast  into  the  sea,*  and  it  shall  be  done.  All  things 
whatever  that  you  may  ask  in  prayer,  believing,  shall 
be  given  you." 

They  entered  Jerusalem  again,  and  as  he  was  walk- 
ing in  the  temple,  the  chief  priests,  and  elders  of  the 
people  came  to  him,  and  said,  "  By  what  authority 
are  you  acting  thus  ?  And  who  gave  you  the  author- 
ity?" Jesus  answered  them,  "I  will  also  ask  you 
a  question  ;  and  if  you  answer  me,  I  will  tell  you  by 
what  authority  I  act  thus.  Whence  had  John  author- 
ity to  baptize. J*  From  Heaven,  or  from  men?"  And 
they  reasoned  thus  with  themselves,  "  If  we  say, 
from  Heaven,  he  will  say,  '  Why  then  did  you  not 
believe  him ; '  but  if  we  say,  '  From  men,  there  is 
danger  from  the  multitude,  for  they  all  regard  John  as 
a  prophet.'  So,  they  answered  Jesus,  "  We  do  not 
know."  And  he  said  to  them,  "  Neither  do  I  tell  you 
by  what  authority  I  act  thus." 

*Matt.  xi.  12,  13,  iS.  Mark  xi.  12-19.  Luke  xix.  45-48; 
xxi.  37. 


238  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

"But  what  think  you?  A  certain  man  had  two 
sons,  and  coming  to  the  first,  he  said  :  '  Son,  go,  ^vork 
to-day  in  my  vineyard.'  And  he  answered,  '  I  will 
not.'  Afterward,  however,  he  repented  and  went. 
And  the  man  came  to  the  other,  and  said  to  him  the 
same  ;  and  he  answered,  '  I  will,  sir ;  *  and  went  not. 
Which  of  the  two  did  the  will  of  his  father  ?  " 
They  said  :  "  The  first."  Jesus  said  to  them,  "  I  tell 
you  in  truth  that  the  tax-gatherers  and  harlots  are  en- 
tering the  kingdom  of  God  before  you  ;  for  John  came 
to  you  preaching  righteousness,  and  you  did  not  hear 
him  ;  but  the  tax-gatherers  and  harlots  did  ;  and  yet 
when  you  saw  that,  you  did  not  repent  and  listen  to 
him."  * 

"  Hear  another  parable :  A  certain  householder 
planted  a  vineyard,  put  a  hedge  about  it,  dug  a  wine- 
vat  in  it,  and  built  a  watch-tower  ;  and  then,  letting  it 
out  to  husbandmen,  went  for  a  long  time  to  a  distant 
country.  And  when  the  season  for  fruit  drew  near, 
he  sent  to  the  husbandmen  a  servant  to  receive  of  the 
fruit  of  the  vineyard.  But  they  seized  him,  beat  him, 
and  sent  him  away  empty.  Then  he  sent  to  them 
another  servant ;  and  they  cast  stones  at  him,  wounded 
him,  and  sent  him  away  shamefully  handled.  Then 
he  sent  again  another,  and  him  they  killed  ;  and  then 
others,  many  in  number,  and  they  treated  them  in  the 
same  manner,  —  beating  some  and  killing  others. 
Then  the  master  of  the  vineyard  said,  "  What  shall 
I    do?      I    have    one    son,    my   well-beloved,    I    will 

Receive  of  the  fruit.  —  It  was  the  ancient  custom  to  pay 
rent  in  the  produce  of  a  farm  or  vineyard. 

*  Matt.  xxi.  23-32.     Mark  xi.  23-32.     Luke  xx.  1-8. 


PARABLE    OF   THE    MARRIAGE    FEAST.  229 

send  him.  It  may  be  they  will  respect  my  son.*  But 
the  husbandmen  said  among  themselves,  '  This  is  the 
heir.  Come,  let  us  kill  him,  and  seize  upon  the  in- 
heritance.' And  they  laid  hold  of  him,  thrust  him 
out  of  the  vineyard,  and  killed  him. 

"  What,  then,  will  the  owner  of  the  vineyard  do  to 
those  husbandmen.?  He  will  come  and  destroy  them, 
and  give  the  vineyard  to  others  who  will  render  to 
him  its  produce  in  the  proper  season."  And  some 
that  heard  this  said,  "  God  forbid."  But,  looking  on 
them,  Jesus  said,  "What,  then,  is  this  that  is  written : 
'  The  stone  which  the  builders  rejected  has  become  the 
head  of  the  corner.  This  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it 
is  wonderful  in  our  eyes.'  Therefore,  I  say  to  you,  the 
kingdom  will  be  taken  from  you,  and  given  to  a  nation 
bringing  forth  its  fruits  ;  and  whoever  stumbles  against 
this  stone,  will  be  sorely  bruised  ;  but  on  whom  it  falls, 
it  will  grind  him  to  powder." 

The  chief  priests  and  Pharisees,  when  they  heard 
these  parables,  perceived  that  he  was  speaking  against 
them,  and  they  wished  to  lay  hands  on  him,  —  but  did 
not,  for  fear  of  the  multitude,  who  regarded  him  as 
a  prophet.* 

Jesus  spoke  to  them  again  in  parables,  saying: 
"  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  a  certain  king,  who 
made  a  marriage  feast  for  his  son ;  and  sent  his  ser- 

On  -whom  it  falls  it  will  grind  him  to  povjder.  —  When  a 
criminal  was  Stoned  among  the  Jews,  he  was  thrown  from  a 
scaffolding  some  fifteen  feet  high,  upon  a  heap  of  stones.  If 
he  was  not  killed  by  the  fall,  a  heavy  stone  was  thrown  upon 
him,  and  it  "ground  him  to  powder." 

Matt.  xxi.  33-46.     Mark  xii.  1-12.     Luke  xx.  9-19. 


230  LIFE    OF  JESUS, 

vants  to  call  those  that  were  bidden  to  the  wedding ;  and 
they  would  not  come.  Then  he  sent  other  servants, 
saying  :  Tell  them  which  are  bidden,  '  Behold,  I  have 
prepared  my  dinner,  my  oxen  and  my  fatlings  are 
killed,  and  all  things  are  ready  ;  come  to  the  marriage.' 
But  some  of  them  made  light  of  it,  and  went  off,  one 
to  his  farm,  another  to  his  merchandise ;  and  the 
remnant  took  his  serv^ants,  and  treated  them  spitefully, 
and  slew  them.  But  when  the  king  heard  of  it,  he 
was  enraged,  and  sent  his  armies,  and  destroyed  those 
murderers,  and  burned  their  city.  Then  he  said  to 
his  servants,  '  The  feast  is  ready,  but  those  bidden 
were  not  worthy.  Go,  therefore,  into  the  highways, 
and  whoever  you  find,  ask  to  the  marriage.'  So  the 
servants  went  out  into  the  highways,  and  collected  all, 
as  many  as  they  found,  bad  and  good  ;  and  the  wed- 
ding was  furnished  with  guests.  But  when  the  king 
came  in  to  see  the  guests,  he  saw  a  man  there  who 
had  not  on  a  wedding  garment.  He  said  to  him, 
'  Friend,  how  came  you  in  here,  not  having  on  a 
wedding  garment  ? '  And  he  was  struck  dumb.  Then 
said  the  king  to  the  sei*vants,  '  Bind  him  hand  and 
foot,  and  cast  him  into  the  outer  darkness  ;  where  will 
be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth.'  For  many  are 
called,  but  few  are  chosen."  * 

Then  the  Pharisees  went  away  and  plotted  how  they 
might  entangle  him  with  questions.  And  they  sent  to 
him  certain  of  their  disciples,  and  of  the  Herodians  to 

The  Herodiayis. — A  political  party  formed,  no  doubt,  by 
Herod  the  Great.  They  held  that  it  was  lawful  to  render 
tribute  to  Caesar,  and  also  right  to  adopt  the  religious  rites 

Matt.  xxii.  1-14. 


QUESTIONED    BY    THE     SADDUCEES.  23 1 

watch  him,  and,  feigning  themselves  righteous  men,  to 
take  hold  of  his  words,  so  that  they  might  deliver  him 
to  the  power  of  the  governor.  And  when  they  had 
come  to  him,  they  said :  "  Master,  we  know  that  you 
are  a  just  man,  and  teach  the  way  of  God  in  truth, 
not  fearing  any  ;  for  you  regard  not  the  rank  of  a  man. 
Tell  us  then,  what  think  you  ?  Is  it  lawful  to  pay 
tribute  to  Cesar,  or  not?  Shall  we  pay  it,  or  shall  we 
not  pay  it?"  But  Jesus  perceiving  their  wickedness, 
said:  "  Why  do  you  thus  question  me,  hypocrites? 
Show  me  the  tribute  money?"  They  brought  him 
a  denarius ;  and  he  said  to  them,  "  Whose  is  this 
image  and  inscription?"  They  answered,  "  Cesar's." 
He  said  to  them,  "  Render,  then,  to  Cesar  what  is 
Cesar's,  and  to  God  what  is  God's."  And  hearing 
this  they  were  confounded,  and  went  away,  seeing 
that  they  could  not  take  hold  of  his  words  before  the 
people.* 

The  same  day  certain  of  the  Sadducees  (who  deny 
that  there  is  any  resurrection)  came  to  him,  and  ques- 
tioned him,  saying :  "  Master,  Moses  wrote  that  if  a 
mian  die,  having  no  children,  his  brother  shall  marry 
his  wife,  and  raise  up  heirs  to  his  brother.  Now  there 
were  seven  brothers,  and  the  first  took  a  wife,  and 
dying,  left  no  child.  And  the  second  took  her,  and 
left  no  child,  and  the  third  likewise  ;  and  in  like  manner 
the  seven  also,  and  they  all  died,  leaving  no  children ; 
last  of  all  the  woman  died  also.     In  the  resurrection, 

and  customs  of  their  conquerors.  The  Pharisees  held  oppo- 
site opinions,  therefore  Jesus  was  in  danger  of  being  entangled 
if  his  answer  favored  the  one  or  the  other  party. 

*Matt.  xxii.  15-22.     Mark  xii.  13-17.     Luke  xx.  20-26. 


232  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

whose  wife  will  she  be  of  the  seven  ?  for  they  all  had 
her."  Jesus  answered  them,  "  You  err,  not  knowing 
the  Scriptures,  nor  the  power  of  God.  The  children 
of  this  world  marry,  and  are  given  in  marriage ;  but 
those  who  are  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that  world, 
and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  neither  marry,  nor 
are  given  in  marriage.  Neither  do  they  die  any  more  ; 
for  they  are  equal  to  the  angels,  and  are  the  children 
of  God,  being  the  children  of  the  resurrection.  And 
touching  the  resurrection  of  the  dead ;  have  you  not 
read  what  was  spoken  by  God  in  the  book  of  Moses? 
How  in  the  bush  he  said,  '  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham, 
and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob  ? '  He  is 
not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  the  God  of  the  living ;  for 
all  live  to  him.  You,  therefore,  greatly  err."  And  the 
multitude  who  heard  this,  were  greatly  moved  by  his 
teaching,  and  certain  of  the  Scribes  said,  "  Master, 
thou  hast  well  said."  * 

The  Pharisees,  hearing  that  he  had  put  the  Sad- 
ducees  to  silence,  gathered  about  him,  and  one  of  them 
—  a  teacher  of  the  Law,  —  perceiving  that  he  had 
answered  them  well,  asked,  to  try  him,  "  Which  is  the 
greatest  commandment  of  all?"  Jesus  answered, 
"  The  first  of  all  the  commandments  is,  '  Hear,  O 
Israel ;  the  Lord  our  God  is  the  only  Lord  ;  and  thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God,  with  all  thy  heart,  and 
with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  with  all 
thy  strength.'  This  is  the  first  commandment.  And 
the  second  is  like  it,  '  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as 
thyself.'  There  are  no  commandments  greater  than 
these ;  and  on  these  two  hang  all  the  law  and  the 
prophets. " 

*  Matt.  xxii.  23-33.     Mark  xii.  18-27.     Luke  xx.  27-40. 


DENOUNCES    THE    PHARISEES.  233 

x\nd  the  teacher  of  the  Law  said  to  him,  "  )Vell, 
Master,  thou  hast  said  the  truth  ;  for  there  is  one  God  ; 
and  there  is  no  other  besides  him ;  and  to  love  him 
with  all  the  heart,  and  all  the  understanding,  and  all 
the  soul,  and  all  the  strength  ;  and  to  love  one's  neigh- 
bor as  one's  self,  is  more  than  all  burnt  offerings  and 
sacrifices."  Then  Jesus,  seeing  that  he  had  answered 
wisely,  said  to  him,  "  You  are  not  far  from  the  king- 
dom of  God."  * 

While  the  Pharisees  were  gathered  about  him  in 
the  temple,  Jesus  asked  them,  "What  think  you  of 
Christ  ?  Whose  son  is  he  ? "  They  said  to  him,  "  The 
son  of  David."  He  said  to  them,  "  How,  then,  does 
David,  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  Psalms,  call  him 
Lord,  saying,  '  The  Lord  said  to  my  Lord,  Sit  thou 
on  my  right  hand,  till  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  foot- 
stool ? '  If  David  call  him  Lord,  how  then  is  he  David's 
son  ? "  No  one  was  able  to  answer  him  a  word, 
neither  durst  any  one,  from  that  day  forth,  ask  him 
any  more  questions.j 

But  the  common  people  heard  him  gladly,  and  he 
said  to  them  and  to  his  disciples,  "  The  teachers  of  the 
Law  and  the  Pharisees,  sit  in  the  seat  of  Moses.  All, 
therefore,  that  they  bid  you,  observe  and  do  ;  but  do 
not  according  to  their  works  ;  for  they  say,  and  do  not. 
They  bind  up  heavy  burdens,  and  hard  to  be  borne, 
and  lay  them  on  men's  shoulders  ;  but  will  not  them- 
selves move  them  with  a  finger.  And  all  their  works 
they  do  to  be  seen  by  men.  They  wear  broad  phy- 
lacteries, and   wide  fringes  on   their   garments ;    and 

*Matt.  xxii.  34-40.     Mark  xii.  28-34. 
tMatt  xxii.  41-46.     Mark  xii.  35-37.     Luke  xx.  41-44. 
20* 


234  lAFU    OF  JESUS. 

love  first  places  at  feasts,  and  the  highest  seats  in  the 
synagogues,  and  greetings  in  the  market-places,  and 
to  go  in  long  robes,  and  to  be  called  of  men,  '  Rabbi, 
Rabbi.'  But,  be  not  you  called  Rabbi ;  for  you  have 
only  one  Master,  even  Christ ;  and  you  are  all  brothers. 
And  call  no  man  your  father  on  the  earth  ;  for  one  is 
your  Father,  who  is  in  heaven.  Nor  be  you  called 
leaders,  for  you  have  only  one  leader,  even  Christ.  But 
let  the  greatest  among  you  be  your  sei*\^ant ;  for  who- 
ever shall  exalt  himself  will  be  humbled  ;  and  he  that 
shall  humble  himself  will  be  exalted.* 

"But  woe  for  you.  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypo- 
crites !  for  you  shut  the  kingdom  of  heaven  against 
men,  not  going  in  yourselves,  nor  suffering  those  that 
are  entering  to  go  in.  Woe  for  you,  Scribes  and 
Pharisees,  hypocrites  !  for  you  devour  widows'  houses, 
and  for  a  pretence,  make  long  prayers  ;  therefore  you 
will  receive  the  greater  damnation.  Woe  for  you. 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites !  for  you  compass 
sea  and  land  to  make  one  proselyte  ;  and  when  he  is 
made,  you  make  him  twofold  more  a  child  of  hell  than 
yourselves.  Woe  for  you,  blind  guides,  who  say,  '  If 
any  one  swear  by  the  temple,  it  is  nothing ;  but  if  he 
swear  by  the  gold  of  the  temple,  he  is  bound  by  his 
oath.'  Fools  and  blind  !  W^hich  is  greater,  the  gold, 
or  the  temple  that  sanctifies  the  gold  ?  And,  '  If  any 
one  swear  by  the  altar,  it  is  nothing ;  but  if  he  swear 
by  the  gift  that  is  upon  it,  he  is  bound.'  Fools  and 
blind !  Which  is  greater,  the  gift,  or  the  altar  that 
sanctifies  the  gift?  He  who  swears  by  the  altar, 
swears  by  it,  and  by  all  that  is  upon  it.     And  he  who 

*Mark  xii.  38-39.    Luke  xx.  45,  46.    Matt,  xxiii.  1-12. 


DENOUNCES    THE    PHARISEES.  235 

swears  by  the  temple,  swears  by  it,  and  by  Him  who 
dwells  within  it.  And  he  who  swears  by  heaven, 
swears  by  the  throne  of  God,  and  by  Him  who  sits 
upon  it.  Woe  for  you,  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypo- 
crites !  for  you  pay  tithes  of  mint,  and  anise,  and 
cummin,  and  neglect  the  weightier  matters  of  the  Law, 
judgment,  mercy,  and  truth.  These  ought  you  to  have 
done,  and  not  to  have  left  the  other  undone.  You 
blind  guides !  you  strain  out  a  gnat,  and  swallow  a 
camel.  Woe  for  you.  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypo- 
crites !  for  you  make  clean  your  cups  and  dishes,  but 
are  full  of  extortion  and  excess.  Thou  blind  Pharisee  ! 
cleanse  first  that  which  is  within  the  cup  and  platter, 
that  the  outside  may  be  clean  also.  Woe  for  )^ou, 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites !  for  you  are  like 
whited  sepulchres,  which  indeed  appear  beautiful  out- 
v/ardly,  but  are  within  full  of  dead  men's  bones,  and 
all  uncleanness.  So,  you  also  outwardly  appear 
righteous  to  men,  but  are  within  full  of  hypocrisy  and 
iniquity.  Woe  for  you.  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypo- 
crites !  for  you  build  the  tombs  of  the  prophets,  and 
garnish  the  sepulchres  of  the  righteous,  and  say, 
'  If  we  had  lived  in  the  days  of  our  fathers,  we  would 
not  have  been  partakers  with  them  in  the  blood  of  the 
prophets  ; '  whereby  you  bear  testimony  against  your- 
selves, that  you  are  the  children  of  those  who  killed 

Strain  out  a  gnat.  —  In  Eastern  countries  gnats  swarm 
about  the  wine  vats,  and  fill  the  wine  vessels.  Therefore  the 
wine  is  strained  before  drinking. 

Whited  Sepulchres.  — The  tombs  were  whitened  every  year 
to  render  them  conspicious,  so  that  strangers  who  came  to  the 
festivals,  might  not  become  unclean  by  inadvertently  com- 
ing in  contact  with  them. 


236  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

the  prophets.  Fill  you  up,  then,  the  measure  of  your 
fathers.  Serpents !  Brood  of  vipers !  how  can  you 
escape  the  damnation  of  hell  ?  Lo  !  I  shall  send  to 
you  prophets,  and  wise  men,  and  teachers ;  and  some 
of  them  you  will  kill  and  crucify,  and  some  you  will 
scourge  in  your  synagogues,  and  persecute  from  city 
to  city  ;  so  that  upon  you  shall  come  all  the  righteous 
blood  shed  in  the  land,  from  the  blood  of  righteous 
Abel  to  the  blood  of  Zechariah,  son  of  Barachias, 
whom  you  slew  between  the  temple  and  the  altar. 
Truly,  I  say  to  you,  all  this  will  come  upon  this  gener- 
ation. O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem  !  Thou  that  killest  the 
prophets,  and  stonest  those  that  are  sent  to  thee ; 
how  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together, 
even  as  a  hen  gathers  her  chickens  under  her  wings, 
and  you  would  not !  Lo !  your  house  is  left  to  you 
desolate.  For  I  say  to  you,  you  shall  not  see  me 
henceforth,  till  you  shall  say,  '  Blessed  is  he  that 
Cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  * 

And  looking  up,  Jesus  saw  some  rich  men  casting 
their  gifts  into  the  treasury  ;  and  with  them  he  saw  a 
poor  widow  casting  in  two  mites,  which  make  a  far- 
thing. And  calling  to  him  his  disciples,  he  said  to 
them,  "  Of  a  truth  I  tell  you,  this  poor  widow  has 
cast  in  more  than  they  all.  For  they  all  have  given 
from  their  abundance  ;  but  she,  from  her  penury,  has 
cast  in  all  that  she  had,  even  all  her  living."  * 

Among  those  that  came  up  to  worship  at  the  festi- 
val, were  certain  Greeks,  and  they  came  to  Philip,  who 
was  of  Bethsaida  of  Galilee,  and  made  request  of  him, 

*  Matt  xxiii.  13-39.     Mark  xii.  40.     Luke  xx.  47. 
t  Mark  xii.  41-44.     Luke  xxi.  1-4. 


CERTAIN  GREEKS  COME  TO  HIM.       237 

saying,  "  Sir,  we  wish  to  see  Jesus."  Philip  went  and 
told  Andrew  ;  and  then  Andrew  and  Philip  told  Jesus. 
Jesus  answered  them,  "  The  hour  has  come  for 
the  Son  of  Man  to  be  glorified.  Truly,  truly,  I  tell 
you,  unless  a  grain  of  wheat  fall  into  the  ground  and 
die,  it  remains  alone  ;  but  if  it  die,  it  brings  forth 
many  grains.  He  who  loves  his  life  will  lose  it ;  and 
he  who  hates  his  life  in  this  world,  will  keep  it  to  life 
eternal.  If  any  one  would  sei^ve  me,  let  him  follow 
me ;  and  where  I  am,  there  also  will  my  sei*vant  be ; 
If  any  one  serve  me,  him  will  my  Father  honor. 

"Now  is  my  soul  troubled  ;  and  what  shall  I  say? 
Father  !  save  me  from  this  hour?  Nay  ;  it  was  for  this 
I  came,  —  for  this  hour.     Father  !   glorify  thy  name." 

Then  there  came  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  "  I 
have  glorified  it,  and  will  glorify  it  again."  The 
people  who  stood  by  and  heard,  said  that  it  thundered  ; 
others  said,  "  An  angel  has  spoken  to  him."  Jesus 
said,  "  This  voice  came  not  for  my  sake,  but  for  yours. 

"  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world  :  now  will  the 
ruler  of  this  world  be  cast  out,  and  I,  when  I  shall  be 
lifted  up  from  the  earth,  shall  draw  all  men  to  me." 
This  he  said,  signifying  what  kind  of  death  he  was  to 
die.  The  people  answered  him,  "We  have  heard  out 
of  the  Law  that  the  Christ  is  to  remain  forever  ;  how 
then  say  you  that  the  Son  of  Man  shall  be  lifted  up  ? 
Who  is  this  Son  of  Man  ?  "  Then  Jesus  said  to  them, 
"Yet  a  little  while  is  the  light  with  you.  Walk  while 
you  have  the  light,  lest  the  darkness  overtake  you ; 
for  he  that  walks  in  darkness  knows  not  where  he 

To  remain  forever.  —  The  common  notion  among  the  Jews 
was  that  the  Messianic  kingdom  was  to  last  a  thousand  years. 


238  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

goes.  While  you  have  the  light,  believe  in  the  light, 
that  you  may  be  the  children  of  light."  Thus  spoke 
Jesus,  and  departed,  hiding  himself  from  them.* 

But  though  he  had  done  so  many  miracles  before 
them,  they  did  not  believe  in  him.  And  thus  vs^as  ful- 
filled what  was  said  by  the  prophet  Isaiah.  "  Lord, 
who  hath  believed  our  report ;  and  to  whom  hath  the 
arm  of  the  Lord  been  revealed  ?  "  Hence  they  could 
not  believe  ;  for  Isaiah  says  again :  "  He  has  blinded 
their  eyes,  and  hardened  their  hearts,  so  that  they  do 
not  see  with  their  eyes,  nor  understand  with  their 
hearts,  nor  turn  from  their  ways  that  I  may  heal 
them."  Thus  said  Isaiah  when  he  saw  his  glory,  and 
spoke  of  him.  Yet,  indeed,  many  even  of  the  rulers 
believed  in  him  ;  but  on  account  of  the  Pharisees  they 
did  not  profess  their  belief,  for  fear  of  being  put  out 
of  the  synagogue.  For  they  loved  the  praise  of  men 
more  than  the  praise  of  God. 

But  Jesus  had  proclaimed,  "  He  who  believes  in 
me,  believes  not  in  me,  but  in  Him  who  sent  me  ;  and 
he  who  sees  me  sees  him  who  sent  me.  I  have  come 
a  light  into  the  world,  that  no  man  who  believes  in 
me  may  remain  in  darkness.  If  any  one  hears  my 
words  and  regards  them  not,  I  do  not  judge  him  ;  for 
I  came  not  to  judge,  but  to  save  the  world.  There  is 
a  judge  for  him  who  rejects  me,  and  receives  not  my 
words ;  the  truths  I  have  taught,  they  will  pass  judg- 
ment on  him  at  the  last  day.  For  I  have  not  spoken 
from  myself;  but  He  who  sent  me,  the  Father  him- 
self, lias  commanded  me  what  to  say  and  what  to 
teach ;    and    I  know    that   his   word    is   life   eternal. 

♦John  xii.  20-36. 


FORETELLS  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  TEMPLE.     239 

Whatever  I  teach,  therefore,  I  teach  as  the  Father  has 
given  me  direction."  * 

As  he  went  out  of  the  temple  one  of  his  disciples 
said  to  him,  "  Master,  see  you  what  goodly  stones 
and  gifts,  and  buildings  are  here  ?  "  Jesus  answered, 
"  As  for  these  things,  the  day  will  come  when  not  one 
stone  will  be  left  on  another,  that  will  not  be  thrown 
down." 

And  as  he  was  sitting  on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  over 
against  the  temple,  Peter  and  James,  and  John,  and 
Andrew,  came  to  him  privately,  and  said :  "  Tell  us 
when  this  will  be  ;  and  what  will  be  the  sign  when  all 
these  things  are  coming  to  an  end.^ "  Jesus  answered 
them,  "  See  that  no  one  deceive  you  ;  for  many  will 
come  in  my  name,  saying,  '  I  am  Christ,'  and  will 
deceive  many  ;  and  you  will  hear  of  wars  and  rumors 
of  w^ars  ;  but  be  not  disturbed,  for  all  this  must  be  ;  but 
the  end  is  not  yet.  For  nation  will  rise  against  nation, 
and  kingdom  against  kingdom ;  and  there  will  be 
famines,  and  pestilences,  and  commotions  in  many 
places.  These  will  be  the  beginning  of  sorrows. 
But  look  to  yourselves  ;  for  they  will  deliver  you  over 
to  the  courts  of  law,  and  you  will  be  scourged  in  the 
synagogues,  and  brought  before  governors  and  kings 

Not  one  stone  -will  be  left  on  another.  —  This  prediction  was 
literally  fulfilled.  The  temple  was  dug  up  from  its  founda- 
tions, and  the  ploughshare  passed  over  its  site. 

Saying  "- 1  am  Christ:' — So  many  of  these  impostors  ap- 
peared in  the  time  of  Nero,  when  Felix  was  procurator  of 
Judea,  that  numbers  are  said  to  have  been  seized  and  executed 
every  year. 

*John  xii.  37-50. 


240  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

for  my  sake  ;  for  a  testimony  to  them.  And  the  glad 
tidings  must  first  be  proclaimed  to  all  nations.  But 
when  they  deliver  you  over  as  criminals,  be  not  anxious 
what  you  shall  say,  nor  prepare  yourselves  before- 
hand ;  but  whatever  may  be  given  you  at  the  time, 
speak,  for  it  will  not  be  you  who  will  speak,  but  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Settle  it  therefore  in  your  hearts  not  to 
deliberate  what  to  say ;  for  I  will  give  you  a  speech 
and  wisdom  which  none  of  your  adversaries  will  be 
able  to  gainsay  or  resist.  Brother  will  deliver  up 
brother  to  death,  and  the  father  his  child,  and  children 
will  rise  against  their  parents,  and  cause  them  to  be 
put  to  death.  And  you  will  be  hated  by  all  men  for 
my  sake  ;  but  he  who  endures  to  the  end  will  be  saved. 
And  this  glad  news  of  the  kingdom  will  be  preached 
in  all  the  world  for  a  testimony  to  all  nations,  and 
then  will  the  end  come.  By  your  patience  preserve 
your  souls.  When,  therefore,  you  shall  see  Jerusalem 
encompassed  with  armies,  and  the  desolating  abomina- 
tion spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet  standing  upon 
holy  ground,  —  let  whoever  reads  understand,  —  then 
let  those  who  are  in  Judea  flee  to  the  mountains  ;  and 
let  not  those  that  are  in  the  country  enter  therein ; 
let  not  him  who  is  on  the  housetop  go  down  to  take 
anything  out  of  his  house ;  nor  let  him  that  is  in  the 
field  turn  back  to  take  up  his  garment.  For  these  are 
the  days  of  vengeance,  when  all  things  that  are  written 
will  be  fulfilled.  But  woe  for  such  as  are  with  child, 
and  for  such  as  are  marrying,  in  those  days !  and  pray 
that  your  flight  may  not  be  in  winter,  nor  on  a  Sab- 

The   desolating  abo7ni7iation,  —  The    Roman    armies   with 
their  idolatrous  standards,  encamped  on  holy  ground. 


FORETELLS  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.  24 1 

bath  day  ;  for  there  will  be  great  distress  in  the  land, 
and  affliction  on  this  people  —  such  as  has  not  been 
since  the  beginning  of  the  world,  no,  nor  ever  will  be. 
They  will  fall  by  the  edge  of  the  sword,  and  be  led 
away  captive  to  all  nations ;  and  Jerusalem  will  be 
trodden  down  by  the  Gentiles,  till  the  times  of  the 
Gentiles  are  ended ;  and  were  not  those  days  to  be 
shortened,  all  would  perish  ;  but  for  the  sake  of  the 
chosen,  those  days  will  be  shortened.  Then,  should 
'any  one  say  to  you,  '  Lo  !  here  is  Christ,'  or  '  He  is 
there,'  believe  him  not ;  for  false  Christs  and  false 
teachers  will  rise  up,  showing  great  signs  and  wonders 
so  as  to  deceive,  if  it  were  possible,  the  very  chosen. 
Lo  !  I  have  told  you  beforehand :  should  they  say  to 
you,  '  Lo  !  he  is  in  the  desert ; '  go  not  forth.  '  Lo  ! 
he  is  in  some  private  chamber  ; '  believe  it  not.  For 
the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  will  be  like  the  light- 
ning which  flashes  from  the  east  to  the  west.  But 
where  the  carcass  is,  there  the  eagles  will  gather  to- 
gether. 

"  Then,  immediately  after  the  affliction  of  those  days, 
the  sun  will  be  darkened ;  and  the  moon  will  not 
give  her  light ;  and  the  stars  will  fall  from  heaven, 
and  the  host  of  heaven  will  be  shaken !  And  upon  the 
earth  will  be  distress  of  nations  and  perplexity  ;  men's 
hearts  failing  them  for  fear,  and  for  looking  for  those 
things  that  are  coming  on  the  land.  And  then  the 
sign  of  the  Son  of  Man  will  appear  in  heaven  ;  and 
all    the   tribes    of  the   land   will    mourn    when   they 

Nor  on  the  Sabbath.  —  A  Jew  was  allowed  to  journey  only 
two  thousand  cubits  —  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  —  on  the 
Sabbath. 

21 


242  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

shall  see  the  Son  of  Man  coming  in  the  clouds  with 
power  and  great  glory.  When  these  things  begin  to 
take  place,  look  up,  and  lift  up  your  heads,  for  your 
deliverance  is  at  hand  ;  for  then  shall  the  Son  of  Man 
send  forth  his  angels  with  a  loud  sound  of  trumpets, 
to  gather  together  his  chosen  from  the  four  winds,  from 
one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other. 

"  Now  learn  a  lesson  from  the  fig-tree :  when  its 
branches  are  tender,  and  it  puts  forth  leaves,  you  know 
that  summer  is  near.  So,  when  you  see  these  thing* 
coming  to  pass,  know  that  the  end  is  nigh,  even  at  the 
door.  Truly,  I  say  to  you,  this  generation  will  not 
pass  away,  till  all  these  things  be  done.  Heaven  and 
earth  may  pass  away,  but  my  words  cannot  pass  away. 
But  of  the  day  and  the  hour  knows  no  man ;  no,  not 
the  angels  of  heaven,  not  the  Son,  but  my  Father  only. 
Look  to  yourselves,  therefore,  lest  at  any  time  your 
hearts  should  be  overcharged  with  surfeiting  and 
drunkenness,  and  the  cares  of  this  life,  and  so  that  day 
should  come  upon  you  unawares ;  for  as  a  snare  will 
it  come  on  all  that  dwell  on  the  face  of  the  whole 
land.  As  when  a  traveller  leaves  his  house,  and  gives 
charge  of  it  to  his  servants,  and  appoints  to  each  his 
work,  and  charges  the  housekeeper  to  watch,  so  do 
you  watch  ;  for  you  know  not  when  the  master  of  the 
house  will  come,  whether  at  evening,  or  at  midnight, 
or  at  the  cock-crowing,  or  in  the  morning.  Let  him 
not  come  suddenly,  and  find  you  sleeping.  And  what 
I  say  to  you,  I  say  to  all ;  Watch  !  Watch  and  pray, 
that  you  may  be  thought  worthy  to  escape  all  these 
things,  and  to  stand  before  the  Son  of  Man. 

"  Then  the   kingdom  of  heaven    will  be  like  ten 


THE   WISE   AND   FOOLISH   VIRGINS.  243 

virgins,  who  took  their  lamps,  and  went  forth  to  meet 
the  bridegroom.  And  five  of  them  were  wise,  and  five 
were  fooHsh.  The  foohsh  took  lamps,  but  took  no  oil 
with  them  ;  but  the  wise  took  oil  in  their  vessels  with 
their  lamps.  And  as  the  bridegroom  was  long  in 
coming,  they  all  grew  drowsy  and  fell  asleep.  But  at 
midnight  there  was  a  cry,  '  Lo !  the  bridegroom  is 
comJng,  go  forth  to  meet  him.'  Then  all  those  virgins 
arose,  and  trimmed  their  lamps.  And  the  foolish  said 
to  the  wise,  '  Give  us  of  your  oil ;  for  our  lamps  are 
going  out.'  But  the  wise  answered,  '  Not  so ;  lest 
there  be  not  enough  for  us  and  you  ;  go  you  rather  to 
those  that  sell  and  buy  for  yourselves.'  But  while 
they  were  gone  to  buy,  the  bridegroom  came,  and 
those  who  were  ready,  went  in  with  him  to  the  feast, 
and  the  door  was  shut.  Afterward  came  the  other 
virgins,  and  said :  '  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us.'  But  he 
answered,  '  Truly,  I  say  to  you,  I  know  you  not.* 
Watch,  therefore,  for  you  know  neither  the  day  nor  the 
hour  when  the  Son  of  Man  comes.  It  will  be  as 
when  a  man  going  to  a  distant  country  called  his  ser- 
vants, and  delivered  to  them  his  property ;  giving  to 
one  five  talents,  to  another  two,  and  to  another  one  ; 
to  each  according  to  his  ability ;  and  setting  out  at 
once  on  his  journey.  Then  he  who  had  received  the 
five  talents,  went  and  traded  with  them,  and  made 
other  five  talents.  And  also  he  who  had  received  two, 
he  gained  other  two.  But  he  who  had  received  the 
one  talent,  went  and  dug  in  the  earth,  and  hid  his 
lord's  money.  After  a  long  time  the  lord  of  those  ser- 
vants came,  and  had  a  reckoning  with  them.  And  he 
who  had  received  the  five  talents,  came  and  brought 


244  ^^^'^   ^^  JESUS. 

other  five,  talents,  saying,  '  Lord,  you  gave  me  five 
talents,  .see  I  have  gained  beside  them  five  talents 
more.'  His  lord  said  to  him,  '  Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant ;  you  have  been  faithful  over  a  few 
things,  I  will  give  you  charge  over  many  things  ;  enter 
into  the  joy  of  thy  lord.'  He  also  who  had  received 
the  two  talents  came,  and  said,  '  Lord,  you  gave  me 
two  talents  ;  see,  I  have  gained  besides  them  two  other 
talents.'  His  lord  said  to  him,  '  Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant;  you  have  been  faithful  over  a  few 
things,  I  will  give  you  charge  over  many  things  ;  enter 
into  the  joy  of  thy  lord.'  Then  he  who  had  received 
the  one  talent  came,  and  said,  '  Lord,  I  knew  you  were 
a  hard  man,  reaping  where  you  had  not  sown,  and 
gathering  where  you  had  not  strewed ;  and  I  was 
afraid,  and  went  and  hid  your  talent  in  the  ground ; 
see,  you  have  your  own  again.'  But  his  lord  an- 
swered, '  Bad  and  slothful  servant,  you  knew  that  I 
reap  where  I  have  not  sowed,  and  gather  where  I  have 
not  strewed :  you  ought  then  to  have  put  my  money 
with  the  exchangers,  that  at  my  coming  I  might 
receive  my  own  with  interest.  Take,  therefore,  the 
talent  from  this  man,  and  give  it  to  him  who  has  the 
ten  talents.  For  to  every  one  who  has  will  be  given, 
and  he  shall  have  abundance ;  but  from  him  who  has 
not,  will  be  taken  away  even  what  he  has.  And  cast 
the  unprofitable  sen^ant  into  outer  darkness ;  where 
will  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth.' 

"When  the  Son  of  Man  comes  in  his  glory,  and  all 
the  holy  angels  with  him,  he  will  sit  on  the  throne  of 
his  glory  ;  and  before  him  will  be  gathered  all  nations  ; 
and  he  will  separate  them  one  from  another,  as  a  shep- 


THE    GENERAL    JUDGMENT.  245 

herd  separates  his  sheep  from  the  goats ;  and  he  will 
set  the  sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but  the  goats  on  the 
left.  Then  will  the  King  sa}'^  to  those  on  his  right 
hand,  '  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the 
kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world  :  For  I  was  hungry,  and  you  gave  me  food  :  I 
was  thirsty,  and  you  gave  me  drink :  I  was  a  stranger, 
and  you  took  me  in :  naked,  and  you  clothed  me :  I 
was  sick,  and  you  visited  me  :  I  was  in  prison,  and  you 
came  to  me."  Then  will  the  righteous  answer  him, 
'  Lord,  when  saw  we  you  hungry,  and  gave  you  food, 
or  thirsty,  and  gave  you  drink  ?  When  saw  we  you  a 
stranger,  and  took  you  in?  or  naked,  and  clothed 
you?  Or  when  saw  we  you  sick,  or  in  prison,  and 
came  to  you?'  And  the  King  will  say,  '  Truly,  I  say 
to  you,  in  that  you  have  done  it  to  one  of  the  least  of 
these  my  brethren  you  have  done  it  to  me.'  Then 
will  he  say  to  them  on  the  left  hand,  '  Depart  from 
me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels  :  for  I  was  hungry,  and  you  gave 
me  no  food  ;  thirsty,  and  you  gave  me  no  drink  ;  I  was 
a  stranger,  and  you  took  me  not  in ;  naked,  and  you 
clothed  me  not ;  sick,  and  in  prison,  and  you  visited 
me  not.'  Then  will  they  also  answer,  '  Lord,  when 
saw  we  you  hungry,  or  athirst,  or  a  stranger,  or  naked, 
or  sick,  or  in  prison,  and  did  not  minister  to  you?" 
Then  will  he  answer  them,  "  Truly,  I  say  to  you,  in 
that  you  did  it  not  to  one  of  the  least  of  these,  you  did 
it  not  to  me.'  And  these  will  go  away  into  everlast- 
ing punishment ;  but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal."  * 

*Matt  xxiv.  1-5 1 ;    xxv.  1-46.     Mark  xiii.  1-37.     Luke  xxi. 
5-36. 


246  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

When  Jesus  had  finished  all  these  sayings,  he  said 
to  his  disciples,  "  You  know  that  after  two  days  is 
the  festival  of  the  passover,  and  that  the  Son  of  Man 
will  be  betrayed  to  be  crucified." 

Then  the  chief  priests  the  Scribes,  and  the  elders 
of  the  people,  assembled  in  the  palace  of  the  high 
priest,  whose  name  was  Caiaphas,  and  consulted  how 
they  might  take  Jesus  by  subtlety,  and  kill  him.  But, 
they  said,  "  Not  on  the  feast-days,  lest  there  be  an  up- 
roar among  the  people." 

And  Jesus  being  in  Bethany,  in  the  house  of  Simon 
the  leper,  they  made  him  a  supper,  and  Martha  served  ; 
but  Lazarus  was  one  of  those  who  were  at  table  with 
him.  Then  Mary  took  an  alabaster  box  —  very  costly 
—  and  broke  the  box,  and  poured  the  ointment  on  his 
head  as  he  reclined  at  table  ;  and  she  also  anointed  the 
feet  of  Jesus,  and  wiped  them  with  her  hair  ;  and  the 
house  v/as  filled  with  the  odor  of  the  ointment.  But 
when  his  discijoles  saw  this  they  were  indignant,  and 
murmured  against  Mary  ;  and  one  of  them  — Judas, 
son  of  Simon  Iscariot,  who  was  to  betray  him  — 
said:  "To  what  purpose  was  this  waste?  Why 
was  not  this  ointment  sold  for  three  hundred  denarii, 
and  given  to  the  poor?"  This  he  said  not  that  he 
cared  for  the  poor ;  but  because  he  vv^as  a  thief,  and 
bore  the  purse  of  the  disciples.  When  Jesus  under- 
stood it,  he  said  to  them :  "  Why  trouble  you  the 
woman  ?  Let  her  alone.  The  poor  you  have  always 
with  you,  but  me  you  have  not  always.  She  has 
done  a  good  work  on  me.  She  has  come  beforehand 
to  anoint  my  body  for  my  burial.     Truly,  I  tell  you, 


JUDAS     BETRAYS    HIM.  247 

wherever  my  Gospel  shall  be  preached  throughout 
the  whole  world,  this  that  she  has  done,  will  be  told 
as  a  memorial  of  her." 

Then  Satan  entered  into  Judas,  called  Iscariot,  and 
he  went  away  to  the  chief  priests  and  captains,  and 
said  to  them,  "  What  will  you  give  me,  if  I  deliver 
him  to  you?  "  And,  when  they  heard  this,  they  were 
glad,  and  agreed  to  give  him  thirty  pieces  of  silver. 
And  he  promised  and  sought  opportunity  to  betray 
him  to  them  in  the  absence  of  the  multitude. 

Now  on  the  first  day  of  the  feast  of  unleavened 
bread,  when  the  passovcr  is  killed,  the  disciples  came 
to  Jesus,  saying,  "  Where  wilt  thou  that  we  prepare 
to  eat  the  passover?"  And  he  sent  Peter  and  John, 
saying  to  them  :  "  Go  you  into  the  city,  and  there 
will  meet  you  a  man  bearing  a  pitcher  of  water ; 
follow  him,  and  wherever  he  shall  go  in,  say  you  to 
the  good  man  of  the  house,  '  The  Master  says  my 
time  is  at  hand ;  where  is  the  guest-chamber  ?  for  I 
will  eat  the  passover  at  thy  house  with  my  disciples.' 
He  will  show  you  a  large  upper  room  furnished  and 
prepared  ;  there  make  ready  for  us."  His  disciples 
went  into  the  city,  and  found  as  he  had  said  to  them  ; 
and  they  made  ready  the  passover. 


PART     EIGHTH. 

THE   LAST   SUPPER,  AND   THE   CRUCIFIXION. 
Time  —  two  days. 


LIFE    OF    JESUS 


PART    EIGHTH. 

WHEN  the  evening  had  come  he  placed  him- 
self at  table  with  the  twelve  apostles,  and  said 
to  them :  "  I  have  earnestly  desired  to  eat  this  Pass- 
over with  you  before  I  suffer ;  for,  I  tell  you,  I  shall 
not  eat  of  it  again  until  it  be  accomplished  in  the 
kingdom  of  God."  And  taking  a  cup  he  gave  thanks, 
and  said,  "  Take  this,  and  divide  it  among  you  ;  for  1 
tell  you,  I  shall  not  again  drink  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine, 
until  the  kingdom  of  God  has  come." 

There  existed  a  rivalry  among  them  as  to  which 
was  the  greatest.  But  he  said  to  them,  "  The  kings 
of  the  Gentiles  exercise  lordship  over  them,  and  those 
having  authority  over  them,  they  call  Benefactors  ;  but 
it  must  not  be  so  with  you.  Let  the  greatest  among 
you  be  as  the  youngest,  and  the  chief,  as  he  who 
serves.  For  which  is  greater,  he  who  reclines  at 
tables,  or  he  who  serves  ?     Is  not  he  who  is  at  table  ? 

There  existed  a  rivalry  atnong'  tJiem. — This  rivalry  was 
often  manifested  previously.  It  seems  now  to  have  shown 
itself  in  a  contention  for  the  first  places  at  table.  Notwith- 
standing their  Master's  frequent  predictions  of  his  death,  the 
disciples  were  still  \\  expectation  of  his  founding  a  temporal 
kingdom. 

(251) 


252  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

But  I  am  among  57-ou  as  as  one  who  sei*ves.  You 
have  continued  with  me  in  my  trials,  and  I  appoint  to 
you  a  kingdom,  as  my  Father  has  appointed  one  to 
me ;  that  you  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in  my 
kingdom,  and  may  sit  on  thrones,  ruling  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Isi-ael."  * 

Then  Jesus,  knowing  that  the  Father  had  com- 
mitted all  things  into  his  hands,  and  that  he  had  come 
from  God,  and  was  going  to  God,  rose  from  supper, 
and,  laying  aside  his  cloak,  took  a  towel,  and  girded 
himself.  After  this  he  poured  water  into  a  basin,  and 
began  to  wash  the  feet  of  the  disciples,  and  to  wipe 
them  with  the  towel  with  which  he  was  girded.  But 
when  he  came  to  Simon  Peter,  Peter  said  to  him : 
"Lord,  do  you  wash  my  feet?"  Jesus  answered: 
"  What  I  am  doing  you  do  not  understand  now  ;  but 
3^ou  will  know  shortly."  Peter  said  to  him,  "  You 
shall  never  wash  my  feet."  Jesus  answered :  "  If  I 
wash  you  not,  you  have  nothing  in  comm^jn  with  me." 
Then  Simon  Peter  said  to  him :  "  Lord,  not  my  feet 
only,  but  my  hands  and  my  head."  Jesus  answered : 
"  He  who  is  washed  needs  to  wash  only  his  feet  to  be 
altogether  clean  ;  and  you  are  clean,  but  not  all."  He 
knew  who  was  about  to  betray  him,  therefore,  he  said, 
"  You  are  not  all  clean."     After  he  had  washed  their 

Girded  hitwself.  —  Servants,  when  waiting  at  table,  laid 
aside  their  outer  garments,  and  were  girded  with  a  towel. 

Needs  to  ivash  o?ily  his  feet. — As  the  Jews  wore  sandals, 
the  feet  required  frequent  washing;  and  if  one  had  bathed 
wholly  during  the  day,  he  was,  with  the  washing  of  his  feet, 
"  altogether  clean." 

*Matt.  xxvi.  20.     Mark  xiv.  17.     Luke  xxii.  14-18,  24-30. 


WASHES    THE    DISCIPLES    FEET.  253 

feet,  and  taken  his  cloak,  he  placed  himself  again  at 
table,  and  said  to  them :  "  Know  now  what  I  have 
done  to  you.  You  call  me  Master  and  Lord,  and  you 
say  well,  for  so  I  am.  If  I,  then,  your  Master  and 
Lord,  have  washed  your  feet,  you  ought  also  to  wash 
one  another's  feet.  I  have  given  you  an  example  that 
you  also  may  do  as  I  have  done  for  you.  Truly,  truly, 
I  tell  you,  the  servant  is  not  greater  than  the  Master, 
nor  he  that  is  sent  greater  than  he  tliat  sends  him. 
Knowing  these  things,  happy  will  you  be  if  you  do 
them.  I  speak  not  of  you  all ;  I  know  whom  I  have 
chosen ;  but  he  I  chose  that  the  Scriptures  may  be  ful- 
filled. '  He  who  eats  of  the  loaf  with  me  has  lifted  up 
his  heel  against  me.'  I  tell  you  now  before  it  comes  to 
pass,  that  when  it  comes,  you  may  believe  that  I  am 
He.  Truly,  truly,  I  tell  you,  he  who  receives  one  that 
I  send,  receives  me,  and  he  who  receives  me,  receives 
Him  who  sent  me."  * 

While  he  was  thus  speaking,  and  they  were  eating, 
Jesus  was  troubled  in  spirit,  and  said  to  them  :  "  Truly, 
truly,  I  say  to  you.  One  of  you  whose  hand  is  with 
mine  on  the  table,  will  betray  me."  Then  the  disci- 
ples looked  one  at  another,  doubting  of  whom  he 
spoke  ;  and  they  began  to  be  sorrowful,  and  to  say  to 
him,  one  by  one:  "Lord,  is  it  I?  Is  it  I?"  Jesus 
answered :  "  He  who  dips  his  hand  with  me  in  the 
dish,  he  it  is  who  betrays  me.  The  Son  of  Man  in- 
deed goes  as  it  is  written  of  him,  but  alas  for  that  man 
by  whom  the  Son  of  Man  is  betrayed  !  It  had  been 
better  for  him  had  he  never  been  born." 

Now  one  of  the  disciples  whom  Jesus  loved,  was 
leaning  on  his  bosom,  and  Simon  Peter  made  signs  to 

22  *John  xiii.  3-20. 


254  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

him  to  ask  who  it  was  of  whom  he  spoke.  He,  lean- 
ing back  on  the  breast  of  Jesus,  said  to  him,  "  Lord, 
who  is  it?"  Jesus  answered,  "  He  to  whom  I  shall 
give  the  morsel,  when  I  have  dipped  it."  And,  having 
dipped  the  morsel,  he  gave  it  to  Judas  Iscariot,  the 
son  of  Simon.  Judas  said  to  him,  "Master,  is  it  I?" 
Jesus  answered :  "  You  have  said."  Then  Satan 
entered  into  Judas,  and  Jesus  said  to  him,  "  What 
you  do,  do  quickly."  (But  no  one  at  the  table  knew 
why  he  said  this.  Some  thought  that  as  Judas  carried 
the  purse,  Jesus  meant  he  should  buy  what  was  needed 
against  the  festival,  or  that  he  should  give  something 
to  the  poor.)  Then,  having  received  the  morsel,  Judas 
went  out  immediately,  —  and  it  was  night. 

When  he  had  gone  out,  Jesus  said,  ■'  Now  is  the  Son 
of  Man  glorified,  and  God  is  glorified  in  him.  And 
as  God  is  glorified  in  him,  so  God  will  glorify  him 
in  himself,  and  will  immediately  glorify  him.  My 
children,  but  a  little  while  shall  I  be  with  you.  You 
will  seek  me,  and,  as  I  said  to  the  Jev^s  so  now  I  say 
to  you,  where  I  go  you  cannot  come.  A  new  com- 
mandment I  give  to  you,  that  you  love  one  another,  — 
that  you  love  one  another  as  I  have  loved  you.  By 
this  will  all  men  know  that  you  are  my  disciples,  if 
you  have  love  one  for  another."  * 

Dipped  it. — The  sauce  in  which  herbs  and  bread  were 
dipped  when  eaten,  was  called  charoseth.  It  was  composed 
of  dates,  figs,  almonds,  apples,  and  other  fruits,  beaten  to- 
gether, and  mixed  with  wine  and  aromatics,  and  strewed  over 
with  broken  tinnamon,  to  represent  the  straw  and  clay  used 
by  the  Israelites  in  making  bricks  in  Egypt.     Buxtorf. 

*  Matt.  xxvi.  21-25.  Mark  xiv.  18-21.  Luke  xxii.  21-23. 
John  xiii.  2i-'?'>.  * 


THE    LAST    SUPPER.  255 

Simon  Peter  said  to  him,  "  Lord,  where  do  you  go?" 
Jesus  answered  :  "  I  go  where  you  cannot  follow  now  ; 
but  you  will  follow  hereafter."  Peter  said  to  him : 
"Lord,  why  cannot  I  follow  you  now?  I  will  lay 
down  my  life  for  you."  Jesus  answered,  "  Will  you 
lay  down  your  life  for  me  ?  Truly,  truly,  I  tell  you, 
all  of  you  will  be  offended  with  me  this  night ;  for  it 
is  written :  '  I  will  smite  the  shepherd,  and  the  sheep 
will  be  scattered.'  But  after  I  have  risen,  I  will  go 
before  you  to  Galilee."  Peter  answered:  "Though 
all  should  be  offended  with  you,  I  will  not  be  offended." 
Then  the  Master  said  :  "  Simon,  Simon,  Satan  has 
desired  you,  to  sift  you  like  wheat ;  but  I  have  prayed 
for  you,  that  your  strength  may  not  fail ;  and  when 
you  return  to  me,  strengthen  your  brethren."  Peter 
said,  "  Lord,  I  am  ready  to  lay  down  my  life  for  you  ; 
to  go  with  you  to  prison,  or  to  death."  Jesus  an- 
swered :  "  Are  you  ready  to  lay  down  your  life  for  me? 
Truly,  truly,  I  say  to  you,  the  cock  will  not  crow  this 
night  till  you  have  thrice  denied  that  you  know  me." 
But  Peter  said  the  more  vehemently,  "  Though  I 
should  die  with  you,  yet  I  will  not  deny  you."  And 
so  said  all  the  disciples. 

Jesus  said  to  them,  "When  I  sent  you  without  purse, 
or  bag,  or  sandals,  were  you  in  want  of  anything  ?  " 
They  said  to  him :  "  Of  nothing."  Then  he  said  to 
them,  "  But  now,  let  him  w^ho  has  a  purse  take  it,  and 
a  bag  also  ;  and  let  him  who  has  no  sword,  sell  his 
cloak  and  buy  one  ;  for  that  is  yet  to  be  fulfilled  which 

Let  him  sell  his  cloak  and  buy  a  sword.  —  "The  language 
of  this  passage  is  highly  figurative.  Jesus  reminds  his  disci- 
ples that  formerly  they  might  rely  on  the  hospitality  of  their 


256  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

is  written,  '  And  he  was  reckoned  among  the  male- 
factors.' And,  indeed,  my  course  is  near  an  end." 
Then  they  said :  "  Lord  lo  !  here  are  two  swords." 
He  answered,  "  Enough  has  been  said."  * 

And  as  they  were  eating,  Jesus  took  bread,  and 
giving  thanks,  broke  it,  and  gave  it  to  them,  saying : 
"  Take,  eat,  this  is  my  body  which  is  broken  for  you  : 
this  do  in  remembrance  of  me."  And  in  the  same 
manner,  after  supper,  he  took  the  cup,  and  when  he 
had  given  thanks,  he  gave  it  to  them,  saying:  "Drink 
you  all  of  this  ;  for  this  is  my  blood  of  the  new  cove- 
nant which  is  shed  for  you,  and  for  many,  for  the  re- 
mission of  sins  ;  this  do,  as  often  as  you  drink  it,  in 
remembrance  of  me.  But,  I  say  to  you,  I  will  no 
more  drink  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine,  until  the  day  when 
I  drink  it  new  with  you  in  my  Father's  kingdom."  f 

"  Let  not  your  hearts  be  troubled ;  Have  faith  in 
God,  and  have  faith  also  in  me.  In  my  Father's  house 
are  many  mansions ;  if  it  were  not  so,  I  would  have 

countrymen ;  but  now  he  had  been  rejected  by  the  nation,  and 
was  about  to  be  crucified  with  robbers ;  and  they,  his  follow- 
ers, rnust  look  for  no  favor.  When  the  disciples  produced  the 
two  swords,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  they  understood 
their  Master  literally.  It  was  natural  to  do  so,  without  any 
definite  purpose.  It  is  probable  that  they  did  not  fully  com- 
prehend his  meaning,  and  supposed  that  by  showing  the 
swords  they  might  induce  him  to  make  a  further  explanation ; 
but  he  was  not  disposed  to  do  so."     Norton. 

Majiy  ma7isions.  —  The  palaces  of  Eastern  kings  were  very 

*  John  xiii.  36-38.  Matt.  xxvi.  31-35.  Mark  xiv.  27-31, 
Luke  xxii.  31-38. 

t  Matt.  xxvi.  26-29.  Mark  xiv.  22-25.  Luke  xxii.  19,  20. 
I  Cor.  xi.  23-25. 


DISCOURSE    AT    TABLE.  257 

told  you.  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you.  And  as 
I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again  and 
receive  you  to  myself,  that  where  I  am,  you  may  be 
also.  And  where  I  go,  you  know,  and  the  way  you 
know." 

Thomas  said  to  him,  "  Lord,  we  know  not  where 
you  go  ;  and  how  can  we  know  the  way  ?  " 

Jesus  said  to  him,  "  I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth, 
and  the  life  ;  no  man  comes  to  the  Father,  but  by  me. 
Had  you  known  me,  you  would  have  known  my 
Father  also  ;  and  now  you  know  him,  and  have  seen 
him." 

Philip  said  to  him,  "  Lord,  show  us  the  Father,  and 
we  shall  be  satisfied." 

Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Have  I  been  so  long  with  you, 
and  have  you  not  known  me,  Philip?  He  who  has 
seen  me,  has  seen  the  Father ;  and  how  say  you, 
'  Show  us  the  Father?'  Believe  you  not  that  I  am  in 
the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me  ?  The  words  that  I 
speak  to  you,  I  speak  not  of  myself;  and  the  Father, 
who  dwells  in  me,  he  does  the  works.  Believe  me 
that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me  ;  if  not, 
believe  me  for  the  very  works'  sake. 

"  Truly,  truly,  I  say  to  you,  he  that  believes  in  me, 
shall  do  the  works  that  I  do  ;  and  greater  works  than 
these  shall  he  do  ;  for  I  am  going  to  my  Father.  And 
whatever  you  shall  ask  in  my  name,  I  will  do,  that 
the  Father  may  be  glorified  in  the  Son.  If  you  shall 
ask  anything  in  my  name,  I  will  do  it. 

'' If  you  love   me  keep   my  commandments ;  and  I 

extensive,  and  it  was  the  custom  of  the  monarchs  to  allow 
large  numbers  of  their  courtiers  to  dwell  in  them. 
22* 


258  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

will  ask  the  Father,  and  he  will  give  you  another 
Comforter,  who  will  abide  with  you  forever,  —  the 
Spirit  of  Truth,  which  the  world  cannot  receive,  be- 
cause it  sees  him  not,  neither  knows  him  ;  but  you 
know  him,  for  he  dwells  with  you,  and  shall  be  in 
you. 

"  I  will  not  leave  you  comfortless ;  I  will  come  to 
you.  A  little  while  only,  and  the  world  will  see  me 
no  more ;  but  you  will  see  me ;  and  because  I  live, 
you  shall  live  also. 

"  Then  you  will  know  that  I  am  in  my  Father, 
and  you  in  me,  and  I  in  j^ou.  He  who  keeps  in  mind 
my  commandments,  and  does  them,  he  it  is  that  loves 
me  ;  and  he  that  loves  me,  will  be  loved  of  my  Father, 
and  I  will  love  him,  and  will  manifest  myself  to  him." 

Judas  (not  Iscariot)  said  to  him,  "  Lord,  how  is  it 
that  you  will  manifest  yourself  to  us,  and  not  to  the 
world  ?  " 

Jesus  answered,  "  Whoever  loves  me,  will  keep  my 
words ;  and  my  Father  will  love  him,  and  we  will 
come  to  him,  and  make  our  abode  with  him.  He 
who  loves  me  not,  keeps  not  my  words ;  and  the 
words  which  you  hear  are  not  mine,  but  the  Father's 
w^io  sent  me." 

"  These  things  have  I  spoken  to  you,  while  yet  with 
you.  But  the  Comforter,  the  Holy  Spirit,  whom  the 
Father  will  send  for  my  sake,  he  will  teach  you  all 
things,  and  bring  to  your  remembrance  all  that  I  have 
said  to  you. 

"  Peace  I  leave  with  you  ;  my  peace  I  give  to  you  ; 
not  as  the  world  gives  peace  give  I  to  you.  Let  not 
your  hearts  be  troubled,  neither  be  afraid.     You  have 


DISCOURSE    TO    HIS    DISCIPLES.  259 

heard  how  I  said  to  you,  I  go  away,  and  come  again  to 
you.  If  you  loved  me,  you  would  rejoice,  because  I 
go  to  the  Father ;  for  the  Father  is  greater  than  I. 
And  now  I  tell  you  before  it  comes  to  pass,  that, 
when  it  comes  to  pass,  you  may  believe. 

"  I  will  no  longer  talk  much  with  you  ;  for  the  prince 
of  this  world  comes,  and  with  me  he  has  nothing  in 
common.  But  this  must  be  that  the  world  may  know 
that  I  love  the  Father,  and  that  as  the  Father  has 
commanded  me,  so  I  do.     Arise,  let  us  go  hence."  * 

"  I  am  the  true  vine,  and  my  Father  is  the  husband- 
man. Every  branch  of  mine  that  bears  not  fruit  he 
cuts  away ;  and  every  branch  that  bears  fruit,  he 
prunes,  that  it  may  bring  forth  more  fruit.  Now  you 
are  pruned  through  the  words  I  have  spoken  to  you. 
Abide  in  me,  and  I  in  you.  As  the  branch  cannot 
bear  fruit  unless  it  abides  in  the  vine  ;  so  you  cannot 
unless  you  abide  in  me.  I  am  the  vine,  you  are  the 
branches.  He  that  abides  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  will 
bring  forth  much  fruit ;  but  severed  from  me  you  can 
do  nothing.  Whoever  abides  not  in  me,  will  be  cast 
forth  as  a  withered  branch  ;  and  such,  men  gather  and 
cast  into  the  fire  to  be  burned.  If  you  abide  in  me, 
and  my  words  abide  in  you,  you  shall  ask  whatever 
you  w^ill,  and  it  will  be  granted  you.  Herein  is  my 
Father  glorified,  in  your  bearing  much  fruit ;  so  shall 
you  be  my  disciples. 

"  As  the  Father  has  loved  me,  so  have  I  loved  you  ; 

Arise,  let  tcs  go  hence.  —  It  is  probable  that  Jesus  rose  and 
prayed,  and  then,  before  leaving  the  room,  continued  his 
discourse,  and  uttered  the  sublime  prayer  that  follows. 

*  John  xiv.  1-31. 


26o  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

continue  in  my  love.  If  you  keep  my  commandments, 
you  will  continue  in  my  love ;  as  I  have  kept  my 
Father's  commandments,  and  continue  in  his  love. 
These  things  have  I  spoken  to  you,  that  my  joy  may 
be  felt  by  you,  and  that  your  jo}^  may  be  full.  This  is 
my  commandment.  That  you  love  one  another,  as  I 
have  loved  you.  Greater  love  has  no  man  than  this, 
that  he  lays  down  his  life  for  his  friends.  You  are  my 
friends,  if  you  do  what  I  command  you.  I  call  you 
no  more  servants,  for  the  servant  knows  not  what  his 
master  is  doing ;  but  I  have  called  you  friends,  for  all 
that  I  have  heard  of  my  Father  I  have  made  known 
to  you.  You  have  not  chosen  me,  but  I  have  chosen 
you,  and  ordained  you  to  go  and  bring  forth  fruit,  such 
fruit  as  may  be  lasting,  so  that  whatever  you  may  ask 
of  the  Father  in  my  name,  he  may  give  you. 

"  This  I  command  you,  that  you  love  one  another. 
If  the  world  hates  you,  you  know  that  it  hated  me 
before  it  hated  you.  If  you  were  of  the  world,  the 
world  would  love  its  own ;  but,  because  you  are  not 
of  the  world,  the  world  hates  you.  Remember  what 
I  said  to  you.  The  servant  is  not  greater  than  his 
master.  If  they  have  persecuted  me,  they  will  perse- 
cute you  also.  If  they  have  kept  my  v^ords,  they  will 
keep  yours  also.  But  all  this  they  will  do  to  you  for 
my  sake,  because  they  know  not  him  who  sent  me. 
If  I  had  not  come  and  taught  them,  they  would  not  be 
thus  guilty  ;  but  now  they  have  no  excuse  for  their  sin. 
He  who  hates  me  hates  my  Father  also.  If  I  had  not 
done  among  them  such  works  as  no  other  man  ever 
did,  they  would  not  be  thus  guilty ;  but  nbw,  though 
they  have  seen  my  works,  they  have  hated  both  me  and 


DISCOURSE    TO    HIS    DISCIPI>ES.  261 

my  Father.  But  thus  is  fulfilled  what  is  written  in 
their  Law,  "  They  hated  me  without  a  cause."  But 
when  the  Comforter  has  come,  whom  I  will  send  to 
you  from  the  Father,  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  which  goes 
forth  from  the  Father,  he  will  testify  of  me.  And  you 
also  will  bear  testimony,  because  you  have  been  with 
me  from  the  beginning.* 

"  These  things  have  I  spoken  to  you  that  you  may 
not  fall  away.  They  will  put  you  out  of  their  syna- 
gogues ;  yea,  the  time  is  coming  that  whoever  kills 
you  will  think  that  he  is  doing  God  sen-ice.  Thus 
they  will  do  because  they  have  known  neither  the 
Father,  nor  me. 

"  But  this  I  tell  you,  that  when  the  time  has  come 
you  may  remember  that  I  said  it  to  you.  I  have  not 
said  it  to  you  before,  because  I  have  been  with  you. 
But  now  I  am  going  to  him  that  sent  me  ;  and  no  one 
of  you  asks  me  where  I  am  going.  But  because  I  have 
said  these  things  sorrow  has  tilled  your  hearts.  But  I 
tell  you  in  truth,  it  is  better  for  you  that  I  go  ;  for  if  I 
go  not  the  Comforter  will  not  come  to  you  ;  but  if 
I  go,  I  will  send  him  to  you.  And  when  he  is  come, 
he  will  convict  the  world  of  sin,  of  righteousness,  and 
of  judgment.  Of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  on  me. 
Of  righteousness,  because  I  am  going  to  my  Father, 
and  you  will  see  me  no  more.  Of  judgment,  because 
the  ruler  of  this  world  has  been  judged. 

"I  have  yet  much  to  say  to  you,  but  you  cannot  bear 
it  now.  However,  when  he,  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  has 
come,  he  will  guide  you  into  all  the  truth  ;  for  he  will 
not  speak  from  himself,  but  will  speak  what  he  hears  ; 

*John  XV.  1-27. 


262  LIFE   OF  JESUS. 

and  he  will  explain  to  you  things  that  are  coming. 
He  will  glorify  me  ;  for  he  will  receive  of  mine,  and 
give  it  to  you.  Whatever  the  Father  has  is  mine  ; 
therefore  I  said,  he  will  take  what  is  mine,  and  give  it 
to  you.  After  a  little  while,  and  you  will  not  see  me  ; 
and  again  after  a  little  while,  you  will  see  me,  because 
I  am  going  to  the  Father." 

Then  some  of  his  disciples  said  to  themselves, 
*'  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  that  he  says  :  '  A  little 
while,  and  you  will  not  see  me,  and  again  after  a  little 
while,  you  will  see  me ;  and  I  am  going  to  the 
Father?'"  They  said,  "What  is  this  little  while  of 
which  he  speaks?     We  cannot  tell." 

Now  Jesus  knew  that  they  were  desirous  to  ask  him, 
and  he  said  to  them,  "  Do  you  inquire  among  your- 
selves of  that  I  said,  '  After  a  little  while,  and  you  will 
not  see  me  ;  and  again  after  a  little  while,  and  you  will 
see  me?  Truly,  truly,  I  say  to  you,  you  will  weep 
and  lament,  but  the  world  will  rejoice  ;  and  you  will 
be  sorrowful,  but  your  sorrow  will  be  turned  into  joy. 
A  woman  in  travail  has  sorrow,  because  her  hour  has 
come ;  but  when  she  is  delivered,  she  forgets  the 
anguish  for  joy  that  a  man  is  born  into  the  world. 
And  so  now  you  will  sorrow,  but  I  shall  see  you  again, 
and  your  hearts  will  rejoice,  and  your  joy  no  man  will 
take  from  you.  And  then  you  will  have  no  need  to 
question  me. 

"Truly,  truly,  I  say  to  you,  whatever  you  shall  ask 
the  Father  in  my  name,  he  will  give  you.  Hitherto 
you  have  asked  nothing  in  my  name  ;  ask  and  you  shall 
receive,  that  your  joy  may  be  complete.  I  have  spoken 
to  you  in  dark  sayings ;  but  the  time  comes  when  I 


DISCOURSE    TO    HIS    DISCIPLES.  263 

shall  no  more  speak  to  you  in  dark  sayings,  but  shall 
show  you  plainl}-  concerning  the  Father.  Then  you 
will  ask  in  my  name  ;  and  I  say  not  that  I  will  pray 
the  Father  for  you.  For  the  Father  himself  loves 
you,  because  you  have  loved  me,  and  have  believed 
that  I  came  forth  from  God.  I  came  forth  from  the 
Father,  and  came  into  the  world ;  now  I  am  leaving 
the  world,  and  going  to  my  Father." 

His  disciples  said  to  him,  "  Lo !  now  you  speak 
plainly,  and  not  in  dark  sayings.  Now  are  we  sure 
that  you  know  all  things,  and  need  not  that  any  man 
should  question  you  ;  by  this  we  believe  that  you  came 
forth  from  God." 

Jesus  answered  them,  "  Do  you  now  believe?  Lo  ! 
the  hour  is  coming,  yea,  has  now  come,  when  you  all 
will  be  scattered,  every  one  his  own  way,  and  will 
leave  me  alone  ;  and  yet  I  am  not  alone,  for  the  Father 
is  with  me.  These  things  I  have  spoken  to  you,  that 
through  me  you  might  have  peace.  In  the  world  you 
will  have  tribulation ;  but  be  of  good  courage,  I  have 
overcome  the  world."  * 

When  Jesus  had  thus  spoken  he  raised  his  eyes  to 
heaven,  and  said,  "  Father,  the  hour  has  come : 
glorify  thy  Son,  that  thy  Son  also  may  glorify  thee 
through  the  power  that  thou  hast  given  him  over  all 
men,  to  give  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  him  eternal 
life.  And  this  is  life  eternal,  to  know  thee  the  only 
true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent.  I 
have  glorified  thee  on  the  earth ;  I  have  finished  the 
work  which  thou  gavest  me  to  do.  And  now,  O 
Father,  glorify  thou  me  with  thine  own  self,  with  the 

♦John  xvi.  1-33. 


264  LIFE   OF  JESUS, 

glory  which  I  had  with  thee  before  the  world  was.  I 
have  made  thee  known  to  the  men  whom  thou  hast 
given  me  out  of  the  world ;  thine  they  were,  and  thou 
gavest  them  to  me ;  and  they  have  kept  thy  w^ords. 
Now  they  know  that  all  things  whatever  thou  hast 
given  me  are  of  thee.  For  I  have  given  to  them  the 
truths  which  thou  gavest  'to  me  ;  and  they  have  re- 
ceived them,  and  know  surely  that  I  came  forth  from 
thee,  and  believe  that  thou  didst  send  me.  I  pray  for 
them  ;  I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for  those  whom 
thou  hast  given  me ;  for  they  are  thine.  So  all  that 
are  mine  are  thine,  and  thine  are  mine  ;  and  they  are 
my  glory.  And  now  I  remain  no  more  in  the  world ; 
but  these  will  remain  in  the  world,  while  I  come  to 
thee.  Holy  Father,  keep  through  thine  own  name 
those  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  that  they  may  be  one, 
as  we  are.  While  I  was  with  them  in  the  world,  I  kept 
them  as  thine  ;  those  that  thou  gavest  me  I  have  kept, 
and  none  of  them  is  lost,  but  the  Son  of  perdition ; 
that  the  Scripture  might  be  fulfilled.  And  now  I  am 
coming  to  thee,  and  these  things  I  speak  in  the  world, 
that  the  joy  which  is  my  portion  may  be  felt  by  them. 
I  have  given  them  thy  word  ;  and  the  world  has  hated 
them,  because  they  are  not  of  the  world,  as  I  am  not 
of  the  world.  I  pray  thee  not  to  take  them  out  of  the 
world,  but  to  keep  them  from  the  evil.  They  are  not 
of  the  world,  as  I  am  not  of  the  world.  Consecrate 
them  to  thyself  through  thy  truth  ;  thy  word  is  truth. 
As  thou  hast  sent  me  to  the  world,  so  I  also  send  them 
to  the  world.  And  for  their  sakes  I  devote  myself, 
that  they  also  may  be  devoted  to  thee  through  the 
truth.     Nor  do  I  pray  for  these  only,  but  also  for  all 


PRAYER    FOR    HIS    DISCIPLES.  265 

who  may  believe  In  me  through  their  word ;  that 
they  all  may  be  one,  as  thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and 
I  in  thee,  so  they  also  may  be  one  in  us  ;  that  the 
world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me.  And  the 
glorious  work  which  thou  gavest  me  I  have  given  to 
them  ;  that  they  may  be  one,  even  as  we  are  one ;  I 
in  them  and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made  com- 
pletely one  ;  so  that  the  world  may  know  that  thou 
hast  sent  me,  and  hast  loved  them,  as  thou  hast  loved 
me.  Father,  I  also  would  that  they,  whom  thou  hast 
given  me  might  be  with  me  where  I  am,  that  they  may 
behold  my  glory  which  thou  hast  given  me  ;  for  thou 
didst  love  me  before  the  foundation  of  the  world.  O 
righteous  Father,  though  the  world  has  not  known 
thee,  I  have  known  thee,  and  these  have  known  that 
thou  hast  sent  me.  And  I  have  made  thee  known  to 
them,  and  will  make  thee  known,  so  that  the  love  with 
which  thou  hast  loved  me,  may  be  in  them,  and  I  in 
them."  * 

When  Jesus  had  spoken  these  words,  and  they  had 
sung  a  hymn,  he  went  forth  with  his  disciples  over  the 
Kidron,  to  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  entered  a  garden 

Kidron. — A  deep  valley  close  to  Jerusalem,  and  between 
it  and  the  Mount  of  Olives. 

Gcthse??ia?te.  —  The  word  means  a  "  garden ;  "  and  this  was 
probably  an  enclosure  of  fig,  olive,  and  pomegranate  trees  at 
the  foot  of  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  from  a  half  to  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile  from  the  walls  of  the  city.  From  Luke  xxii. 
39,  and  John  xviii.  2 ;  it  appears  that  Jesus  often  resorted 
there  with  his  disciples.  A  garden  is  now  shown,  in  which 
are  eight  gigantic  olives,  as  the  identical  place  in  which  the 
scene  that  follows  occurred. 

*John  xvii.  1-26. 
23 


266  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

called  Gethsemane.  And  when  he  had  come  to  the 
place  he  said  to  his  disciples  :  "  Sit  ye  here,  while  I  go 
and  pray  yonder." 

Then,  taking  with  him  Peter  and  James  and  John, 
he  began  to  be  sorely  distressed,  and  in  great  agony. 
And  he  said  to  them,  "My  soul  is  exceedingly  sorrow- 
ful, even  to  death.  Tarry  ye  here,  and  watch  with 
me."  And  going  forward  about  a  stone's  cast,  he  fell 
on  his  face,  and  prayed,  saying :  "  O,  my  Father,  if  it 
be  possible,  —  and  all  things  are  possible  with  thee,- — 
let  this  cup  pass  from  me  ;  nevertheless,  not  my  will, 
but  thine  be  done."  And  there  appeared  an  angel  to 
him  from  heaven,  strengthening  him.  And  being  in 
agony,  he  prayed  more  earnestly,  and  his  sweat  was, 
as  it  were,  great  drops  of  blood  falling  down  to  the 
ground. 

When  he  rose  up  from  prayer  he  came  to  the  dis- 
ciples, and  found  them  sleeping  for  sorrow.  And  he 
said  to  Simon  :  "  What  I  Could  you  not  watch  with 
me  one  hour?  Watch  and  pray  that  you  enter  not 
into  trial ;  the  spirit  indeed  is  willing,  but  the  flesh 
is  weak." 

Great  drops  of  blood. — Dr.  Doddridge  in  a  note  on  this 
passage,  remarks  that:  "Aristotle  and  Diodorus  Siculus,  both 
mention  bloody  sweats  as  attending  some  extraordinary 
agony  of  mind ;  and  I  find  Loti,  in  his  life  of  Pope  Sextus  V, 
and  Sir  John  Chardin,  in  his  history  of  Persia,  mention  a 
like  phenomenon,  to  which  Dr.  Jackson  adds  another  from 
Thuanus."  Voltaire,  speaking  of  Charles  IX  of  France,  in 
his  Universal  History,  says  :  "  He  died  in  his  thirty-fifth  year. 
His  disorder  was  of  a  very  remarkable  kind ;  the  blood  oozed 
out  of  all  his  pores.  This  malady,  of  which  there  have  been 
no  other  instances,  was  owing  to  either  excessive  fear,  or 
violent  agitation,  or  to  a  feverish  and  melancholy  tempera- 
ment." 


JESUS    IS    APPREHENDED.  267 

Then  going  away  a  second  time,  he  prayed  again, 
saying :  "  O,  my  Father,  if  this  cup  may  not  pass 
from  me,  but  I  must  drink  it,  thy  will  be  done."  And 
returning  he  found  them  again  asleep ;  for  their  eyes 
were  heavy,  and  they  knew  not  what  to  say  to  him. 
Leaving  them,  he  went  away  and  prayed  a  third 
time,  saying  the  same  words.  Then  he  returned  to 
the  disciples,  and  said  to  them  :  "  Sleep  on  now  and 
take  your  rest.  Lo  !  the  hour  has  come,  —  the  Son  of 
Man  is  delivered  into  the  hands  of  sinners.  Rise,  let 
us  go  forward.     He  who  betrays  me  is  at  hand."  * 

Now  Judas,  who  betrayed  him,  knew  the  place,  for 
Jesus  often  resorted  there  ^vith  his  disciples  ;  and  hav- 
ing received  a  band  of  soldiers  and  officers  frmii  the 
chief  priests  and  elders  of  the  people,  he  came  there 
while  Jesus  was  yet  speaking,  with  a  great  multitude, 
carrying  lanterns,  and  torches,  and  weapons.  And 
having  agreed  upon  a  sign  with  them  that  the  one  he 
should  kiss  was  he  whom  they  should  take  and  lead 
away  safely,  he  went  before  the  rest,  directly  up  to 
Jesas,  saying:  "Hail,  Master!"  and  kissed  him. 
Jesus  said  to  him  :  "Judas,  betray  you  the  Son  of  Man 
with  a  kiss  ?  "  Then,  knowing  all  that  was  to  befall 
him,  he  went  fonvard,  and  said  to  them:  "Whom 
seek  you?"  They  answered,  "Jesus  of  Nazareth." 
Jesus  said  to  them,  "  I  am  he,"  and  as  he  said  to 
them,  "  I  am  he,"  they  went  backward,  and  fell  to  the 
ground.  Then  Jesus  asked  them  again,  "  Whom  seek 
you?  "  And  they  said  :  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth."  Jesus 
answered :   "  I  told  you,  I  am  he.     If,  then,  you  seek 

*Matt.  xxvi.  36-46.  Mark  xiv.  32-42.  Luke  xxii.  39-46. 
John  xviii.  i. 


368  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

me,  let  these  go  away."  (To  fulfil  what  he  had  said  : 
"  Of  those  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  I  have  lost 
none."). 

Then  those  who  were  about  him,  seeing  what  would 
follow,  said  to  him  :  "  Lord,  shall  we  smite  with  the 
sword  ? "  And  Simon  Peter,  having  a  sword,  drew 
it,  and  smote  the  servant  of  the  high  priest,  cutting 
off  his  ear.  The  servant's  name  was  Malchus.  Jesus 
said  to  Peter,  "  Put  up  your  sword  into  its  sheath,  for 
all  who  take  the  sword,  will  perish  by  the  sword. 
Shall  I  not  drink  the  cup  which  my  Father  has  given 
me?  Think  you  I  could  not  now  call  on  him,  and  he 
would  send  me  more  than  twelve  legions  of  angels? 
But  how  then  would  the  Scriptures  be  fulfilled?  For 
thus  it  must  be." 

The  captain  of  the  band,  and  the  officers  of  the  Jews 
then  took  Jesus,  and  bound  him  ;  but  saying  to  them, 
*'  Suffer  me  thus  far,"  he  touched  the  servant's  ear, 
and  healed  him.  Then  he  said  to  the  chief  priests 
and  officers  of  the  temple,  who  had  come  to  take  him, 
"  Have  you  come  out  as  against  a  thief,  with  swords 
and  clubs?  I  was  daily  with  you,  teaching  in  the 
temple,  and  you  took  me  not.  But,  this  is  j^our  hour, 
and  the  power  of  darkness."  Then  all  the  disciples 
forsook  him  and  fled. 

They  led  him  away,  first  to  Annas,  who   was  the 

Annas  had  been  high-priest,  having  been  appointed  by 
Quirinus,  imperial  governor  of  Judea,  a.  d.,  7.  He  was  re- 
moved, after  holding  office  seven  years,  for  assuming  the 
power  to  execute  the  death  penalty ;  but  was  soon  afterwards 
succeeded  by  his  son,  Eleazer.  Five  of  his  sons,  and  one 
son-in-law,  —  Caiaphas,  —  were  successively  high  priests ;  but 
Annas  appears  to  have  exercised  the  real  prerogatives  of  the 
office.     He  lived  tb  a  great  age. 


Peter's  denial.  269 

'father-ill-law  of  Caiaphas,  the  high  priest  that  year. 
(It  was  Caiaphas  who  had  given  counsel  to  the  Jews, 
that  it  was  better  that  one  man  should  die  for  the  peo- 
ple) .  And  a  certain  young  man,  having  only  a  linen 
cloth  wrapped  about  his  body,  followed,  and  the  sol- 
diers laid  hold  of  him  ;  but  he,  leaving  the  linen  cloth 
in  their  hands,  fled  from  them  naked.  Simon  Peter 
also  followed  at  a  distance,  and  so  did  another  disciple. 
That  other  disciple  was  acquainted  with  the  high-priest, 
and  went  in  with  Jesus  to  the  court  of  the  high-priest's 
house  ;  but  Peter  stood  without,  at  the  door.  Then 
the  other  disciple,  (who  was  known  to  the  high-priest,) 
came  out,  and  speaking  to  the  girl  who  kept  the  door, 
brought  in  Peter. 

The  servants,  and  the  officers  who  had  taken  Jesus, 
having  kindled  a  fire  of  coals  in  the  midst  of  the  hall, 
(for  it  was  cold,)  seated  themselves  together  by  the 
fire ;  and  Peter  stood  with  them,  warming  himself. 
The  maid  of  the  high-priest,  who  kept  the  door, 
seeing  Peter  as  he  stood  in  the  light,  looked  earnestly 
at  him,  and  said :  "  Surely  this  man  was  w^ith  Jesus 
of  Galilee."  But  he  denied  it  before  them  all,  saying, 
"  Woman,  I  know  him  not."  And  he  went  out  into 
the  porch,  and  another  maid  saw  him,  and  said  to 
those  that  were  there,  "  This  is  one  of  them,"  but 
he  again  affirmed  with  an  oath,  "  I  do  not  know  the 
man."     About  an  hour  after,  one  of  the  servants  —  a 

A  certain  yoimg  man  is  supposed  by  many  to  have  been 
Mark,  the  author  of  the  Gospel.  The  "  other  disciple  "  was, 
undoubtedly,  John. 

Fire  of  coals.  — Jewish  houses  were  without  fire-places,  and 
were  warmed  by  braziers  set  in  the  centre  of  the  courts  or 
inner  apartments. 
23* 


270  LIFE   OF  JESUS. 

kinsman  to  him  whose  ear  Peter  had  cut  off,  —  said  to 
him,  "  Surely  you  are  a  Galilean,  —  your  speech  be- 
trays 3^ou.  Did  I  not  see  you  In  the  garden  with 
him  ? "  Then  Peter  began  to  curse  and  to  swear,  say- 
ing, "  I  know  not  the  man."  And  immediately, 
while  he  was  speaking,  the  cock  crew.  Then  the 
Lord  turned,  and  looked  upon  him  ;  and  Peter  remem- 
bered the  words  he  had  said,  how  before  the  cock 
crew,  he  would  deny  him  thrice  ;  and  going  out  he 
wept  bitterly.* 

The  high-priest  then  asked  Jesus  concerning  his  dis- 
ciples, and  his  teaching ;  and  Jesus  answered,  "  I 
have  spoken  openly  to  the  world  ;  I  have  ever  taught 
in  synagogues,  and  in  the  temple,  where  all  the  Jews 
resort,  and  have  said  nothing  in  secret ;  why,  then,  do 
you  question  me  ?  Ask  those  who  have  heard  what  I 
have  taught.     Lo  !  they  know  what  I  have  said." 

On  his  saying  this,  one  of  the  officers  who  stood  by 
struck  Jesus  with  the  palm  of  his  hand,  saying :  "  Do 
you  answer  the  high-priest  thus?  "  Jesus  said  to  him, 
"  If  I  have  spoken  evil,  testify  to  what  is  evil ;  but  If 
well,  why  do  you  smite  me  ?  " 

Then  Annas  sent  him  bound  to  Calaphas,  the  high- 
priest  ;  and  as  soon  as  it  was  day,  the  elders  of  the 
people  —  the  chief. priests  and  teachers  of  the  Law, — 
met,  and  brought  Jesus  before  their  council.  And  the 
whole  Sanhedrim  sought  false  testimony  against  him, 
so  as  to  put  him  to  death ;  but  they  found  none ;  for 
though  many  bore  false  witness  against  him,  their  tes- 
timony was   not   sufficient.     At  last   two  came   who 

*Matt.  XXVI.  57,  58,  69-75.  Mark  xiv.  53,  66-72.  Luke  xxii. 
John  xviii.  13-18:  25-27. 


JESUS    IS    SENT     TO    PILATE.  271 

testified :  "  We  have  heard  him  say,  '  I  will  destroy 
this  temple  made  with  hands,  and  within  three  days, 
will  build  another  made  without  hands."  But  their 
testimony,  too,  did  not  agree  together.  Then  the 
high-priest,  rising  up  in  the  midst,  questioned  Jesus, 
saying,  "Do  you  make  no  reply?  What  is  this  that 
these  men  testify  against  you  ? "  But  he  held  his 
peace,  answering  nothing.  The  high-priest  then  ques- 
tioned him  again,  sa^dng :  "I  adjure  thee  by  the  living 
God  to  tell  us  if  thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God.?" 
Jesus  said  to  him,  "If  I  tell  you,  you  will  not  believe  ; 
and  if  I  also  question  you,  you  will  not  answer,  nor 
let  me  go.  Nevertheless,  I  say  to  you,  I  am ;  and 
hereafter  you  will  see  the  Son  of  Man  seated  at  the 
right  hand  of  God,  and  coming  in  the  clouds  of 
heaven."  Then  they  all  said,  "  You  are,  then,  the 
Son  of  God.?"  He  said  to  them,  "  You  speak  truly. 
I  am."  The  high-priest  then  rent  his  clothes,  saying : 
"  He  has  spoken  blasphemy  !  What  need  is  there  for 
further  testimony  ?  for  we  have  heard  his  blasphemy. 
What  is  your  judgment?"  They  all  answered  :  "  He 
is  worthy  of  death."  Then  the  men  who  held  Jesus 
mocked  him,  and  smote  him,  and  spat  upon  him  ;  and 
the  servants  struck  him  with  the  palms  of  their  hands, 
and,  covering  his  face,  buffeted  him,  saying:  "Proph- 
esy to  us,  thou  Christ,  who  it  is  that  smites  thee." 
And  they  reviled  him  \vith  many  other  blasphemies.* 
Then  the  whole  Sanhedrim  rose,  and  when  they 
had  again  bound  Jesus,  led  him  away  to  the  hall  of 
judgment,  and  delivered  him  to  Pontius  Pilate,   the 

Pontiles  Pilate  was  appointed  procurator  of  Judea  by  Tibe- 

*John  xviii.  19-24.     Luke  xxii.  63-71.     Matt.  xxvi.  59-6S. 
Mark  xvi.  55-65. 


272  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

governor  ;  and  it  was  early  in  the  morning.  They  did 
not  enter  the  judgment  hall,  lest  they  should- be  defiled, 
and  prevented  from  eating  the  Passover ;  but  Pilate 
came  out  to  them,  and  asked :  "  What  accusation  do 
you  bring  against  this  man?"  They  answered,  "If 
he  were  not  a  malefactor,  we  would  not  have  brought 
him  to  you."  Then  Pilate  said  to  them,  "  Take  him 
yourselves,  and  judge  him  according  to  your  law." 
The  Jews  answered,  "  We  have  no  authority  to  put 
any  man  to  death."  (That  the  words  of  Jesus,  show- 
ing what  kind  of  death  he  was  to  die,  might  be  ful- 
filled.) Then  they  began  to  accuse  him,  saying  :  "  He 
is  raising  sedition  among  the  people,  forbidding  them 
to  pay  tribute  to  Cesar,  and  saying  that  he  himself,  is 
Christ— a  King." 

Then  Pilate,  going  into  the  judgment  hall,  called 
Jesus  to  him,  and  asked,  "  Are  you  the  King  of  the 
Jews?"  Jesus  said  to  him,  "Ask  you  this  of  your- 
self, or  have  others  spoken  to  you  of  me  ?  "  Pilate 
answered:  "Am  I  a  Jew?  Your  own  nation,  and 
the  chief  priests  have  brought  you  before  me.  What 
have  you  done?"  Jesus  answered:  "  My  kingdom  is 
not  of  this  world  ;  if  my  kingdom  were  of  this  world, 
my  servants  would  have  fought  to  prevent  my  being 
delivered  to  the  Jews ;  but  now  is  my  kingdom  not 
from  hence."  Then  Pilate  said  to  him,  "You  are  a 
King,  then?"    Jesus  answered,  "You  say  truly,  I  am 

rius,  A.  D.,  25-6.  He  was  very  unpopular  with  the  Jews,  and 
on  several  occasions  practised  upon  them  great  cruelties.  He 
was  finally,  about  the  year  36,  accused  by  them  to  the  Em- 
peror, and  sent  by  Viterlius,  President  of  Syria,  to  Rome  to 
answer  their  accusations.  There,  finding  Tiberius  dead,  and 
wearied  out  by  his  misfortunes,  he,  soon  afterwards,  destroyed 
himself. 


JESUS    IS    SENT    TO  HEROD.  273 

a  king.  To  this  end  was  I  born,  and  for  this  I  came 
into  the  world,  —  to  bear  testimony  to  the  truth.  Every 
lover  of  the  truth,  hears  my  voice."  Pilate  said  to 
him,  "What  is  truth?" 

On  saying  this  he  went  out  again  to  the  Jews,  and 
said  to  them,  "  I  find  him  guilty  of  no  crime."  Then 
the  chief  priests  accused  him  of  many  things  ;  but 
Jesus  answered  nothing.  Pilate  said  to  him,  "  Hear 
you  not  how  much  they  testify  against  you  ?  "  But 
Jesus  answered  not  a  word,  so  that  Pilate  was  greatly 
astonished.  Then  he  again  said  to  the  chief  priests 
and  the  multitude :  "  I  do  not  find  him  guilty  of  any 
crime."  But  they  were  the  more  violent,  saying :  "  He 
is  stirring  up  sedition  among  the  people  by  his  teaching, 
from  Galilee,  and  through  all  Judea,  even  to  this  city." 
Then  Pilate,  when  he  heard  the  word  Galilee,  asked 
if  he  were  a  Galilean  ;  and  being  told  that  he  was  of 
Herod's  jurisdiction,  he  sent  him  to  Herod,  who  was 
at  this  time  in  Jerusalem. 

Herod  rejoiced  greatly  at  seeing  Jesus,  for  he  had 
desired  to  see  him  for  a  long  time,  having  heard 
of  him,  and  being  in  hopes  that  he  would  do  some 
miracle.  He  put  many  questions  to  him ;  but  Jesus 
gave  him  no  answer,  though  the  chief  priests  and 
teachers  of  the  Law  were  present,  vehemently  accus- 
ing him.  Then  Herod  and  his  followers  reviled  him, 
and,  in  mockery,  arrayed  him  in  a  gorgeous  robe,  and 
sent  him  back  to  Pilate.  And  Pilate  and  Herod  be- 
came friends  together  that  very  day  ;  for  before  they 
had  been  at  enmity.* 

*Matt.  xxvii.  i,  2,  11-14.  Mark  xv.  1-5.  Luke  xxiii.  1-12. 
John  xviii.  28-38. 


274  ^^^^    ^^  JESUS. 

Then  Pilate,  calling  together  the  chief  priests,  the 
rulers,  and  the  people,  said  to  them :  "  You  have 
brought  this  man  to  me  as  one  stirring  up  sedition 
among  the  people,  and  lo  !  having  examined  him  be- 
fore you,  I  do  not  find  him  guilty  of  the  crimes  of 
which  you  accuse  him.  Nor  does  Herod ;  for  he  has 
sent  him  back  to  us,  and  lo !  he  has  done  nothing 
worthy  of  death.  I  will,  therefore,  scourge  him,  and 
let  him  go." 

Now,  at  that  festival  it  was  customary  for  the  gov- 
ernor to  release  to  the  people  a  prisoner,  —  whoever 
they  would.  And  at  that  time  there  was  a  notorious 
prisoner,  named  Barabbas,  who  lay  bound  with  others 
for  making  a  riot  in  the  city,  and  for  committing  mur- 
der in  the  riot.  Then  Pilate  said  to  the  multitude, 
"  You  have  a  custom  that  I  release  to  you  a  prisoner 
at  the  Passover.  Whom  will  you  that  I  release, 
Barabbas,  or  Jesus,  who  is  called  Christ?"  For  he 
knew  that  the  chief  priests  had  brought  Jesus  before 
him  through  malice.  But  the  chief  priests  and  elders 
moved  the  multitude  to  ask  him  to  release  Barabbas, 
and  destroy  Jesus ;  and  they  cried  out  all  at  once, 
"  Away  with   this  man,  and  release  to  us  Barabbas." 

Pilate's  wife,  while  he  was  seated  on  the  judgment- 
seat,  sent  to  him,  saying :  "  Have  nothing  to  do  with 
that  righteous  man  ;  for  I  have  suffered  much  this  day 
in  a  dream  on  his  account."  Pilate,  therefore,  willing 
to  release  Jesus,  said  again  to  the  people,  "  Which  of 
the  two  will  you  that  I  release  to  you  ? "  And  they 
cried  out,  "  Not  this  man,  but  Barabbas."  Now, 
Barabbas  was  a  robber.  Pilate  then  said  to  them  : 
*' What,  then,  shall  I  do  with  Jesus,  whom  you  call  the 


JESUS    IS    MOCKED    AND    SCOURGED.  275 

King  of  the  Jews  ? "  And  they  cried  out,  "Crucify 
him  !  Crucify  him  !  "  But  he  said  to  them,  "  Why? 
What  crime  has  he  done  ?  I  find  him  guilty  of  noth- 
ing worthy  of  death.  I  will,  therefore,  scourge  him, 
and  let  him  go."  But,  with  vehement  out-cries,  they 
demanded  that  he  should  be  crucified.  Their  voices, 
and  those  of  the  chief  priests  prevailed,  and  Pilate, 
seeing  that  what  he  had  said  availed  nothing,  but  that, 
on  the  contrary,  the  multitude  were  growing  tumultu- 
ous, took  water,  and  washed  his  hands  before  them, 
saying,  "  I  am  guiltless  of  the  blood  of  this  innocent 
man.  Look  you  to  it."  And  all  the  people  answered  : 
"  His  blood  be  on  us,  and  on  our  children."  Then 
he  released  Barabbas  to  them,  and  ordering  Jesus  to 
be  scourged,  delivered  him  to  be  crucified.* 

The  soldiers  of  the  governor  then  carried  Jesus  into 
the  Pretorium,  and  calling  together  the  whole  band, 
they  scourged  him.  Then,  stripping  him,  they  clothed 
him  in  a  purple  robe,  and  platting  a  crown  of  thorns, 
placed  it  on  his  head,  and  put  a  reed  in  his  right  hand, 
and  bowing  their  knees  before  him,  mocked  him, 
saying :  "  Hail,  King  of  the  Jews."  And  they  spat 
upon  him,  and  struck  him  with  their  hands,  and  taking 
the  reed,  beat  him  on  the  head,  and  kneeling  down 
again,  paid  him  homage.f 

Then  Pilate  came  out  again,  and  said  to  the  multi- 
tude :  "  Lo  !  I  am  bringing  him  out  to  you,  to  let  you 
know  that  I  find  him  guilty  of  no  crime."  Then  Jesus 
came  out,  wearing  the  crown  of  thorns,  and  the  purple 
robe  ;  and  Pilate  said  to  them,  "  Behold  the  man  !  " 

*Luke  xxii.  13-25.  Matt.  xvii.  15-26.  John  xviii.  39-40. 
Mark  xv.  6-15. 

fMatt.  xxvii.  26-30.     Mark  xv.  15-19.    John  xix.  1-3. 


376  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

Then,  when  the  chief  priests  and  their  officers  saw 
him,  they  cried  out  again,  "  Crucify  him  !  Crucify 
him  !  "  Pilate  said  to  them,  "  Do  you  take  him  and 
crucify  him  ;  for  I  find  him  guilty  of  no  crime."  The 
Jews  answered,  "We  have  a  law ;  and  by  our  law 
he  ought  to  die,  because  he  has  claimed  to  be  the  Son 
of  God." 

When  Pilate  heard  this  he  was  the  more  afraid,  and 
going  into  the  Pretorium  again,  he  said  to  Jesus, 
"Whence  are  you?"  Jesus  gave  him  no  answer. 
Then  Pilate  said  to  him,  "  Speak  you  not  to  me  ?  Do 
you  not  know  that  I  have  power  to  crucify  you,  and 
power  to  let  you  go."  Jesus  answered :  "  You  would 
have  no  power  over  me,  were  it  not  given  you  from 
above.  Therefore,  those  who  have  delivered  me  to 
you  have  so  much  the  greater  sin." 

Upon  this  Pilate  became  earnest  to  release  him  ;  but 
the  Jews  cried  out,  "  If  you  let  this  man  go,  you  are 
not  Cesar's  friend.  Whoever  sets  himself  up  for  a 
king  opposes  Cesar." 

When  Pilate  heard  this,  he  brought  Jesus  out,  and 
sat  down  on  the  judgment-seat  in  a  place  called  the 
Pavement  (in  Hebrew,  Gabbatha^)  and  it  was  the 
preparation  of  the  Passover,  and  about  the  hour  of 
noon.  And  he  said  to  the  Jews,  "  Behold  your  King." 
But  they  cried  out,  "  Away  with  him  !  Away  with 
him  !  Crucify  him  !  "  Pilate  said  to  them,  "  Shall  I 
crucify  your  King?"  The  chief  priests  answered: 
"  We  have  no  king  but  Cesar."  Then  Pilate  yielded 
him  up  to  them  to  be  crucified.* 

Then  Judas,  who  had  betrayed  him,  seeing  that  he 

*John  xix.  4-16. 


JESUS    IS    LED    TO    CRUCIFIXION.  2/7 

was  condemned,  repented,  and  carried  back  the  thirty 
pieces  of  silver  to  the  chief  priests  and  elders,  saying : 
"  I  have  sinned  in  betraying  innocent  blood."  But 
they  said  to  him  :  "  What  is  that  to  us?  Look  you  to 
that."  He  cast  dow^n  the  pieces  of  silver  in  the 
temple,  and  went  away  and  hanged  himself.  But  the 
chief  priests  took  the  silver  pieces,  saying  :  "  It  is  not 
lawful  to  put  them  into  the  sacred  treasury,  because 
they  are  the  price  of  blood."  And  after  consulting 
together,  they  bought  with  them  the  Potter's  Field,  to 
bury  strangers  in.  Hence  that  field  has  been  called, 
"  The  field  of  Blood,"  to  this  day.  Then  was  fulfilled 
what  was  said  by  Jeremiah,  the  prophet :  "  And  they 
took  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  the  price  of  him  who 
was  valued,  whom  the  children  of  Israel  did  value  ; 
and  they  gave  them  to  the  Potter's  Field,  as  the  Lord 
had  appointed  for  them."  * 

When  the  soldiers  had  mocked  Jesus,  they  took 
off  the  purple  robe,  and  putting  on  him  his  own 
clothes,  led  him  away  to  be  crucified.  And  he,  bear- 
ing his  cross,  went  forth  to  a  place  called  Calvary,  (in 
Hebrew,  Golgotha,)  which  means  the  place  of  a  skull. 
But,  as  they  were  going  out  of  the  city,  they  found 
one  Simon,  a  Cyrenean,  (the  father  of  Alexander  and 
Rufus,)  coming  from  the  country ;  and  on  him  they 
laid  the  cross,  and  compelled  him  to  bear  it  after  Jesus. 

And  a  great  multitude  of  the  people  followed  him, 
and  of  women,  who  lamented  and  bewailed  him  ;  but 
Jesus  turning  to  them,  said,  ''  Daughters  of  Jerusalem  ! 
Weep  not  for  me !  but  weep  for  yourselves,  and  your 
children  !     For  the  days  are  coming  when  it  will  be 

*  Matt,  xxvii  3-10. 
24 


278  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

said,  '  Blessed  are  the  barren,  the  wombs  that  never 
bore,  and  the  breasts  that  never  gave  suck.'  Then 
they  will  say  to  the  mountains,  '  Fall  on  us,'  and  to 
the  hills,  '  Cover  us.'  For  if  they  do  this  to  the  green 
tree,  what  will  they  do  to  the  dry?  " 

Two  others,  who  were  malefactors,  were  led  away 
with  him  to  be  put  to  death.  And  when  they  came 
to  the  place  called  Calvary,  they  gave  him  wine  min- 
gled with  gall ;  but  when  he  had  tasted  it,  he  would 
not  drink.     There  they  crucified  him ;  and  the  male- 

They  crucified  him.  —  "  Crucifixion  was  inflicted  by  the 
Romans  on  servants,  robbers,  assassins,  and  i-ebels.  The 
person  subjected  to  this  punishment  was  stripped  of  all  cloth- 
ing, except  a  band  about  the  loins.  In  this  state  he  was 
beaten,  and  was  then  obHged  to  carry  his  cross  to  the  place 
of  execution.  The  cross  was  an  upright  beam,  with  a  hori- 
zontal cross-piece.  A  piece  of  wood  projected  from  the  up- 
right beam,  and  on  this  the  sufferer  sat,  since  the  weight  of 
the  body  might,  otherwise,  have  torn  away  the  hands  from  the 
nails  driven  through  them.  The  cross  seldom  exceeded  ten 
feet  in  height.  When  it  has  been  firmly  fixed  in  the  ground, 
the  criminal  was  raised  to  the  seat,  and  his  hands  were  nailed 
to  the  cross-piece,  and  nailed  through  the  palms.  He  usually 
remained  suspended  until  he  died,  and  the  corpse  became 
putrid ;  but  in  Judea,  to  comply  with  the  law  in  Deut.  xxi. 
22,  23,  the  crucified  were  buried  on  the  day  of  execution. 
When  it  was  likely  they  would  not  die  on  that  day,  death  was 
hastened  by  kindling  a  fire  underneath  the  victim,  by  break- 
ing his  bones,  or  by  piercing  him  with  a  spear.  The  Ro- 
mans were  accuustomed  to  give  the  criminal  a  medicated 
drink  of  wine  and  myrrh  to  produce  intoxication,  and  lessen 
his  pains.  This  was  the  drink  which  Jesus  refused.  The 
vinegar  afterwards  given  him  on  a  reed  was,  probably  a  mix- 
ture of  sour  wine  and  water,  —  the  common  beverage  of  the 
Roman  soldiers." 


JESUS    IS    CRUCIFIED.  279 

factors,  one  on  his  right  hand  the  other  on  his  left ;  and 
thus  the  Scripture  was  fulfilled  which  says,  "  He  was 
numbered  with  the  transgressors." 

Then  Jesus  said :  "  Father,  forgive  them  ;  for  they 
know  not  what  they  do." 

When  the  soldiers  had  nailed  him  to  the  cross,  they 
took  his  cloak,  and  divided  it  into  four  parts,  one  for 
each  soldier,  and  also  his  tunic.  Now  his  tunic  was 
without  seam,  being  woven  in  one  piece  from  the  top  ; 
so  they  said  to  one  another :  "  Let  us  not  rend  it, 
but  cast  lots  to  see  whose  It  shall  be  ; "  that  the  words 
of  the  prophet  might  be  fulfilled :  *'  They  parted  my 
raiment  among  them,  and  did  cast  lots  for  my  vesture." 
These  things  the  soldiers  did,  and  sitting  down  they 
watched  him.  Pilate  also  wrote  an  inscription,  and 
had  it  put  on  the  cross,  over  his  head.  And  the  in- 
scription was,  —  in  Greek,  Latin  and  Hebrew,  — 
*' Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  King  of  the  Jews." 
This  inscription  was  read  by  many  of  the  Jews  ;  for 
the  place  where  Jesus  was  crucified  was  near  the  city. 
Then  the  chief  priests  said  to  Pilate,  "  Let  not  the  in- 
scription be,  '  the  King  of  the  Jews,'  but  that  he  said, 
'  I  am  the  King  of  the  Jews."  Pilate  answered : 
"  What  I  have  written,  I  have  written."  * 

And  the  passers-by  reviled  Jesus,  nodding  their 
heads,  and  saying  :  "  Ah  !  thou  that  canst  destroy  the 
temple,  and  build  it  in  three  days,  save  th3^self.  If 
thou  art  the  Son  of  God,  come  down  from  the  cross." 
So  also  the  chief  priests,  jesting  with  the  Scribes  and 
elders,  said  :  "  He  saved  others,  cannot  he  save  him- 

*Matt.  xxvii.  31-38.  Mark  xv.  29-38.  Luke  xxiii.  26,  34-38. 
John  xix.  16-24. 


28o  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

self?  If  he  is  the  Kuig  of  Israel,  let  hnn  now  come 
down  from  the  cross,  and  we  will  believe  him.  He 
trusted  in  God  ;  let  Him  deliver  him  now  if  he  desires 
him  ;  for  he  said :  '  I  am  the  Son  of  God.' "  The 
soldiers,  too,  mocked  him,  coming  and  ofiering  him 
vinegar,  saying,  "  If  thou  art  the  King  of  the  Jews, 
save  thyself."  And  one  of  the  malefactors  who  were 
crucified  with  him  reviled  him,  saying:  "If  you  are 
the  Christ,  save  yourself  and  us."  But  the  other 
rebuked  him,  saying,  "  Do  you  not  fear  God,  seeing 
you  are  in  the  same  condemnation.  And  we  indeed, 
justly,  for  we  are  receiving  the  due  reward  of  our 
deeds ;  but  this  man  has  done  nothing  amiss."  And 
he  said  to  Jesus :  "  Remember  me  when  you  come 
into  your  kingdom."  Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Truly,  I 
tell  you,  to-day  you  shall  be  with  me  in  Paradise." 

And  by  the  cross  of  Jesus  stood  his  mother,  and  his 
mother's  sister,  Mary  the  wife  of  Cleophas,  and  Mary 
of  Magdala.  Then  Jesus,  when  he  saw  his  mother, 
and  the  disciple  whom  he  loved  standing  near,  said  to 
his  mother,  "  Woman,  behold  !  Thy  Son  !  "  Then 
he  said  to  the  disciple,  "  Behold  !  Thy  mother."  And 
from  that  hour  the  disciple  took  her  to  his  own  home.* 

And  it  was  about  the  sixth  hour,  and  there  was 
darkness  over  all  the  land  till  the  ninth  hour.  And 
at  the  ninth  hour  Jesus  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying : 
"Eloi,  Eloi,  lama  sabachthani ? "  that  is  to  say  :  "My 
God  ?  My  God  !  Why  hast  thou  forsaken  me .? "  And 
some  of  those  who  stood  near,  when  they  heard  it, 
said,    "  Lo !    he  calls  for  Elias."     After  this,   Jesus, 

*Matt.  xxvii.  39-44.  Mark  xv.  29-32.  Luke  xxiii.  35-37; 
39-43-    John  xix.  25-27. 


"it  is  finished."  281 

knowing  that  all  things  had  been  accomplished,  that 
the  vScripture  might  be  fulfilled,  said :  "I  thirst ! " 
And  one  of  them  ran,  and  filling  a  sponge  with  vine- 
gar from  a  vessel  standing  near,  put  it  on  a  stick  of 
hyssop,  and  raised  it  to  his  mouth  ;  but  the  others 
said,  "  Let  alone ;  let  us  see  if  Elijah  will  come  to 
save  him." 

Then,  when  Jesus  had  received  the  vinegar,  he  said, 
"  It  is  finished,"  and  crying  out  with  a  loud  voice, 
"  Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commit  my  spirit,"  he 
bowed  his  head,  and  gave  up  the  Ghost.* 

And  lo  !  the  vail  of  the  Sanctuary  was  torn  asunder 
from  the  top  to  the  bottom,  and  the  earth  quaked,  and 
the  rocks  were  rent,  and  the  graves  were  opened,  and 
many  bodies  of  the  saints  who  had  fallen  asleep,  arose, 
and  coming  out  of  the  tombs,  after  his  resurrection, 
went  into  the  holy  city,  and  appeared  to  many.  And 
when  the  centurion  and  those  with  him  keeping  watch 
over  Jesus,  saw  the  earth  quake,  and  heard  Jesus  so  cry 
out,  they  were  struck  with  terror,  and  said :  "  Truly, 
this  was  the  Son  of  God."  And  all  the  people  who 
had  flocked  together  to  the  sight,  beholding  what  had 
happened  returned,  beating  their  breasts. 

And  standing  at  a  distance,  looking  on,  were  all 
who  had  been  connected  with  him,  and  the  women 
who,  when  he  was  in  Galilee,  followed  and  ministered 
to  him.  Among  them  were  Mary  of  Magdala,  and 
Mary,  the  mother  of  James  the  less,  and  Joses,  and 
Salome,  and  the   mother  of  Zebedee's  children,   and 

The  vail  of  the  Sanctuary.     See  Exodus  xxvi.  31-33. 

*Matt.  xxvii.  45-50.  Mark  xv.  33-37.  Luke  xxiii.  44-46. 
John  xix.  28-30. 

24* 


282  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

many  others,  who  had  accompanied  him  to  Jeru- 
salem.* 

Then  the  Jews,  as  it  was  the  preparation  day,  that 
the  bodies  might  not  remain  on  the  cross  during  the 
Sabbath,  (for  that  Sabbath,  was  a  great  day,)  besought 
Pilate  that  their  legs  might  be  broken,  and  they  be 
taken  away.  Then  the  soldiers  came  and  broke  the 
legs  of  the  first,  and  of  the  other  who  was  crucified 
with  Jesus.  But  when  they  came  to  Jesus,  they  saw 
that  he  was  dead  already,  and  broke  not  his  legs. 
But  one  of  the  soldiers  with  a  spear  pierced  his  side, 
and  at  once  there  came  out  blood  and  water.  These 
things  were  done  that  the  Scripture  might  be  fulfilled, 
"  A  bone  of  him  shall  not  be  broken."  And  again 
another  Scripture  which  says,  "  They  will  look  on  him 
whom  they  have  pierced." 

And  it  being  now  evening,  and  the  day  of  prepara- 
tion, that  is,  the  day  before  the  Sabbath,  Joseph  of 
Arimathea,  an  honorable  man,  a  member  of  the  San- 
hedrim, and  a  disciple  of  Jesus,  (but  secretly,  for  fear 
of  the  Jews,)  who  had  not  consented  to  the  council  or 
deed  of  the  others,  went,  and  going  in  boldly  to  Pilate, 
craved  the  body  of  Jesus.  Pilate  wondered  if  he  were 
already  dead,  and  sending  for  the  centurion,  inquired 
if  he  had  been  dead  long.  And  being  informed  by  the 
centurion,  Pilate  gave  the  body  to  Joseph.  And  Nic- 
odemus,  (who  at  the  first  came  to  Jesus  by  night,) 
brought  a  mixture  of  myrrh  and  aloes,  —  about  a  hun- 

'■'■  Blood  and  ivatQ.r. — The  thin  membrane  which  surrounds 
the  heart,  called  the  pericardium,  was  the  part  piercedj  and 
from  this  would  flow  Ijmph  and  blood." — Jahn. 

*  Matt,  xxvii.  37-56.     Mark  xv.  38-41.     Luke  xxiii.  45,  47-49. 


THE    TOMB    IS  GUARDED.  283 

dred  pounds,  —  and  together,  they  took  down  the 
body  of  Jesus  and  swathed  it  in  fine  Hnen,  with  the 
aromatics,  according  to  the  Jews'  mode  of  interment. 
And  near  the  place  where  he  was  crucified,  there  was 
a  garden,  and  in  the  garden  there  was,  belonging  to 
Joseph,  a  new  tomb,  hewn  out  of  a  rock,  in  which  no 
one  had  ever  been  laid.  There,  then,  it  being  the 
preparation  day,  they  laid  Jesus,  because  the  tomb 
was  near  at  hand  ;  and  rolling  a  great  stone  against  the 
door  of  the  tomb,  they  departed. 

And  the  women  who  came  from  Galilee  —  Mary  of 
Magdala,  and  Mary  the  mother  of  Joses,  —  followed, 
and  sitting  over  against  the  tomb,  saw  how  the  body 
was  laid.* 

On  the  next  day,  (that  follovs^ing  the  day  of  the 
preparation,)  the  chief  priests  and  the  Pharisees  went 
in  a  body  to  Pilate,  saying :  "  Sir,  we  remember  that 
this  deceiver  while  living,  said,  '  In  three  days  I  shall 
rise  again.'  Give  command,  therefore,  that  the  sepul- 
chre be  made  secure  until  the  third  day,  lest  his  disci- 
ples should  come  by  night,  and  steal  him  away,  and 
say  to  the  people,  '  He  has  been  raised  from  the  dead,' 
so  the  last  error  should  be  worse  tlian  the  first."  Pilate 
said  to  them,  "  You  have  a  guard ;  go  and  make  it  as 
sure  as  you  can."  So  they  went  and  made  the  sepul- 
chre secure,  sealing  the  stone,  and  setting  a  watch.f 

*  Matt,  xxvii.  57-61.     Mark  xv.  42-47.     Luke  xxiii.  50-56. 
John  xix.  31-42. 
t  Matt,  xxvii.  62-66. 


PART    NINTH. 

FROM   THE   RESURRECTION   TO   THE 
ASCENSION. 


LIFE     OF     JESUS. 


PART    NINTH 


AND  Mary  of  Magdala,  and  the  other  Mary,  re- 
turning to  the  city,  prepared  spices  and  oint- 
ments, and  rested  on  the  Sabbath,  according  to  the 
commandment.  Then,  while  it  was  yet  dark,  on  the 
morning  of  the  first  day  of  the  week  they  went  with 
certain  others  to  the  tomb,  carrying  the  perfumes  they 
had  prepared.  And  they  said  to  one  another,  "  Who 
will  roll  away  the  stone  for  us  from  the  door  of  the 
tomb  ? "  for  it  was  very  large.  But,  on  looking,  they 
saw  that  the  stone  had  been  rolled  away  ;  and  entering 
the  tomb  they  found  not  the  body  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
For  lo !  there  had  been  a  great  earthquake,  and  an 
angel  of  the  Lord,  descending  from  heaven,  had  rolled 
back  the  stone  from  the  door,  and  sat  upon  it.  His 
countenance  was  like  lightning,  and  his  raiment  white 
as  snow,  and  at  the  sight  of  him  the  guard  were  struck 
with  terror,  and  became  as  dead  men.* 

Then  Mary  of  Magdala,  seeing  the  stone  rolled 
away  from  the  tomb,  ran  to  Simon  Peter,  and  to 
the  other  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved,  and  said  to  them 
"  They  have  taken   the    Lord   out  of  the   tomb,  and 

*Markxvi.  I.    Matt,  xxviii.  2-4. 
(287) 


288  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

we  know  not  where  they  have  laid  him."  But  while 
the  other  women  were  in  great  perplexity,  concern- 
ing this,  lo !  two  men  stood  by  them  in  glittering 
garments,  and  they  were  terrified,  and  bowed  their 
faces  to  the  earth  ;  but  the  men  .said  to  them,  "  Fear 
not ;  ye  seek  Jesus  of  Nazareth  who  was  crucified. 
He  is  not  here ;  but  has  risen.  Remember  what  he 
said  to  you  while  he  was  yet  in  Galilee  ;  that  the  Son 
of  Man  would  be  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  sinful 
men,  and  be  crucified,  and  the  third  day  would  rise 
again.  Come,  see  the  place  where  the  Lord  lay  ;  and 
go  quickly,  and  tell  his  disciples  and  Peter,  that  he  has 
risen  from  the  dead,  and  goes  before  you  into  Galilee. 
There  shall  you  see  him.     Lo  !  we  have  told  you." 

And  the  women  remembered  the  words  of  the  Lord, 
and  departing  quickly  from  the  tomb,  with  fear  and 
great  joy,  ran  to  give  his  disciples  word.* 

Meanwhile  Peter  set  out  with  the  other  disciple,  to 
go  to  the  tomb,  and  both  ran  together,  but  the  disciple 
outran  Peter,  and  coming  first  to  the  tomb,  stooped 
down  and  saw  the  grave-clothes  lying  there,  but  did 
not  go  in.  Then  came  Simon  Peter  following  him, 
and  entered  the  tomb  and  saw  the  grave-clothes  lying, 
and  the  napkin  that  was  about  his  head,  not  lying  with 
the  grave-clothes,  but  wrapped  up  in  a  place  by  itself. 
Then  the  other  disciple  who  came  first  to  the  tomb, 
went  in  also,  and  saw  and  believed.  For  as  yet  they 
understood  not  the  Scripture,  that  he  must  rise  from 
the  dead.f 

Then  the  disciples  returned  to  their  homes  wonder- 

*Matt.  xxviii.   1,5-7.     Mark  xvi.   1,2-7.     Luke  xxiv.   1-8. 
John  XX.  1,2. 
t  John  XX.  3-10.     Luke  xxiv.  13. 


JESUS    IS    SEEN    BY    MARY.  289 

ing  at  what  had  taken  place ;  but  Maiy  remained 
standing  without  by  the  tomb,  weeping.  As  she  was 
weeping,  she  stooped  down  to  look  into  the  tomb, 
and  saw  two  angels,  arrayed  in  white,  sitting,  the  one 
at  the  head,  and  the  other  at  the  foot,  where  the  body 
of  Jesus  had  lain.  And  they  said  to  her,  "Woman, 
why  weep  you?"  She  said  to  them  :  "  Because  they 
have  taken  away  my  Lord,  and  I  know  not  where  they 
have  laid  him."  Saying  this  she  turned  back,  and 
saw  Jesus  standing  by  but  knew  not  that  it  was  Jesus. 
Jesus  said  to  her  :  "  Woman,  why  weep  you?  Whom 
are  you  seeking?"  She,  supposing  him  to  be  the 
gardener,  said  to  him,  "  Sir,  if  you  have  carried  him 
hence,  tell  me  where  you  have  laid  him,  and  I  will 
take  him  away."  Jesus  said  to  her,  "Mary."  She 
turned  and  said  to  him  :  "  Rabboni,"  —  which  means 
Teacher.  Jesus  said  to  her,  "  Touch  me  not ;  for 
I  have  not  yet  ascended  to  my  Father ;  but  go  to 
my  brothers,  and  tell  them  that  I  am  about  to  ascend 
to  my  Father  and  your  Father,  to  my  God  and  your 
God." 

Then  Mary  of  Magdala  went  and  told  the  disciples 
that  she  had  seen  the  Lord,  and  he  had  said  these 
things  to  her  ;  but  when  they  heard  that  he  was  alive, 
and  she  had  seen  him,  they  believed  not.* 

And  as  the  other  ivoinen  w^ent  to  tell  the  disciples, 
Lo  !  Jesus  met  them  and  said,  "  All  hail."  And  they 
went  near,  and  laid  hold  of  his  feet,  falling  on  the 
ground  before  him.  Then  Jesus  said  to  them,  "  Be 
not  afraid  ;  go  and  tell  my  brothers  to  depart  into  Gal- 
ilee, and  there  they  shall  see  me."     And  they  returned 

*John  XV.  ii-iS.     Mark  xvi.  9-11. 
25 


20)0  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

and  told  all  to  the  eleven,  and  to  the  rest ;  but  their 
words  seemed  to  them  as  idle  tales,  and  they  believed 
them  not.* 

As  the  women  were  going,  some  of  the  guard 
entered  the  city,  and  told  the  chief  priests  all  that  hud 
taken  place.  And  they,  having  assembled  with  the 
elders,  and  consulted  together,  gave  a  large  sum  of 
money  to  the  soldiers,  saying,  "  Tell  the  people  his 
disciples  came  by  night,  and  stole  him  away  while  you 
were  asleep  ;  and,  should  the  governor  hear  of  this,  we 
will  satisfy  him,  and  keep  you  from  trouble."  So  they 
took  the  money,  and  did  as  they  were  told ;  and  that 
story  has  been  current  among  the  Jews  to  this  day.f 

Then  he  was  seen  of  Cephas ;  and  after  that,  the 
same  day,  he  appeared  in  another  form,  to  two  of 
them  as  they  went  into  the  country,  to  a  village  called 
Emmaus,  distant  from  Jerusalem  about  threescore 
furlongs.  And  as  they  talked  together  of  all  that 
had  happened,  Jesus  himself  drew  near,  and  went 
with  them ;  but  their  eyes  were  held  so  that  they 
did  not  know  him.  And  he  said  to  them,  "  What  is 
this  that  you  discourse  about  with  one  another,  as  you 
walk  and  are  sad?"  One  of  them,  whose  name 
was  Cleopas,  answered  him,  "  Are  you  such  a  stranger 
in  Jerusalem  as  not  to  know  the  things  which  have 
happened  in  these  few  days?"  He  said  to  them, 
"What  things?"  They  said  to  him,  "Those  con- 
cerning Jesus  of  Nazareth,  who  was  a  prophet  mighty 
in  deed  and  word  before  God,  and  all  the  people  ;  how 
our  chief  priests  and  rulers  caused  him  to  be  con- 

*Matt.  xxviii.  8-10.     Mark  xiv.  8.     Luke  xxiv.  9-1 1. 
fMatt.  xxviii.  11-15. 


JESUS    APPEARS    TO    THE    ELEVEN.  29 1 

demned  to  death,  and  crucified  him.  But  we  trusted 
that  it  was  he  who  was  to  have  redeemed  Israel ;  and 
besides  all  this,  to-day  is  the  third  day  since  these  things 
took  place.  But  certain  women  of  our  company  have 
astonished  us ;  for  going  early  in  the  morning  to  the 
tomb  they  found  not  his  body,  but  came  saying  they 
had  seen  a  vision  of  angels,  who  said  that  he  was  liv- 
ing. And  one  of  those  with  us,  who  went  to  the  tomb, 
found  it  even  as  the  women  had  said ;  but  him  they 
saw  not." 

Then  Jesus  said  to  them,  "  How  slow  of  heart  ye 
are  to  believe  all  that  the  prophets  have  spoken  !  Was 
it  not  necessary  for  Christ  through  these  sufferings  to 
enter  into  his  glory?"  And  beginning  with  Moses, 
and  all  the  prophets,  he  expounded  to  them  in  all  the 
Scriptures  the  things  concerning  himself. 

And  when  they  came  near  to  the  village  to  which 
they  were  going,  he  made  as  though  he  would  go 
further.  But  they  pressed  him,  saying :  "  Remain 
with  us,  for  it  is  toward  evening,  —  the  day  is  far 
spent."     And  he  went  in  to  tarry  with  them. 

And  while  he  was  at  table  with  them,  he  took  the 
bread,  and  blessed  it,  and  broke  it  and  gave  it  to  them. 
Then  their  eyes  were  opened,  and  they  knew  him ; 
and  he  vanished  out  of  their  sight. 

And  they  said  to  one  another,  "  Did  not  our  hearts 
burn  within  us  while  he  talked  with  us  on  the  road, 
and  explained  to  us  the  Scriptures?"  And  imme- 
diately they  returned  to  Jerusalem,  and  found  the 
eleven,  and  those  that  were  with  them,  assembled  to- 
gether at  table,  who  told  them  that  the  Lord  had 
indeed  risen,  and  appeared  to  Simon.     And  they  told 


293  LIFE    OF    JESUS. 

what  happened  on  the  road,  and  how  he  had  become 
known  to  them  while  breaking  bread.* 

While  they  were  thus  talking,  the  doors  where 
they  were  assembled  being  shut  for  fear  of  the  Jews, 
Jesus  came  and  stood  in  their  midst,  and  said  to  them, 
"  Peace  be  with  you."  But  they  were  startled  and 
terrified,  and  thought  that  they  saw  a  spirit.  And  he 
said  to  them,  "  Why  are  3'ou  troubled?  and  why  do 
doubts  arise  in  your  minds?  Behold  my  hands  and 
my  feet,  that  it  is  I,  myself;  touch  me  and  see,  for  a 
spirit  has  not  flesh  and  bones  as  you  see  me  have." 
Saying  this,  he  showed  them  his  hands,  his  feet, 
and  his  side.  While  they  were  still  in  doubt  through 
joy  and  wonder,  he  said  to  them :  "  Have  you  any- 
thing to  eat  ?  "  And  they  gave  him  a  piece  of  broiled 
fish  and  of  a  honey  comb,  and  taking  it,  he  ate 
before  them.  Then  the  disciples  rejoiced  when  they 
saw  the  Lord. 

And  he  said  to  them :  "  This  is  what  I  told  you 
while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  it  was  necessary  that  all 
that  is  written  in  the  Law  of  Moses,  in  the  Prophets, 
and  in  the  Psalms  concerning  me,  should  be  accom- 
plished." Then  he  opened  their  minds  to  understand 
the  Scriptures,  and  said  to  them,  "  Thus  it  is  written, 
and  thus  it  was  necessary  that  Christ  should  suffer,  and 
rise  from  the  dead  on  the  third  day  ;  and  that  repent- 
ance and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in  his 
name  to  all  nations,  beginning  at  Jerusalem.  And 
you  are  the  witnesses  of  these  things." 

Then  he  said  to  them  again,  "  Peace  be  with  you. 
As  my  Father  has  sent  me,  so  send  I  you.     Go  ye  into 

*  I  Cor.  XV.  5.     Luke  xxiv.  16-35.     Mark  xvi.  12,  13. 


APPEARS    TO    THOMAS.  293 

all  the  world,  and  proclaim  the  glad  tidings  to  every 
creature.  He  who  believes  and  is  baptized,  will  be 
saved  ;  he  who  believes  not  will  be  condemned.  And 
these  signs  shall  accompany  those  who  believe  ;  in  my 
name  they  will  cast  out  demons  ;  they  will  speak  with 
new  tongues ;  they  will  take  up  serpents ;  if  they 
drink  any  deadly  thing  it  will  not  hurt  them,  and  they 
will  lay  hands  on  the  sick,  and  they  will  recover." 

And  after  saying  this,  he  breathed  on  them,  and  said, 
"  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Spirit.  Whosesoever  sins  you 
may  remit,  are  remitted,  and  whosesoever  sins  you 
may  retain,  are  retained."  * 

But  Thomas,  called  Didymus,  one  of  the  twelve, 
was  not  with  them  when  Jesus  came.  Then  the  other 
disciples  said  to  him,  "  We  have  seen  the  Lord."  But 
he  said  to  them,  "  Unless  I  see  in  his  hands  the  print 
of  the  nails,  and  put  my  finger  into  the  print  of  the 
nails,  and  put  my  hand  to  his  side,  I  shall  not  believe." 
And  eight  days  after,  his  disciples  being  again  in  the 
house,  and  Thomas  with  them,  Jesus  came,  the  doors 
being  closed,  and  standing  in  the  midst  of  them,  said, 
"Peace  be  with  you."  Then  he  said  to  Thomas, 
"  Reach  hither  your  finger,  and  see  my  hands ;  and 
reach  hither  your  hand,  and  put  it  to  my  side ;  and 
be  not  faithless,  but  believing."  Thomas  answered 
him,  "  My  Lord  and  my  God."  Jesus  said  to  him, 
"  Thomas,  because  you  have  seen  me,  you  have  be- 
lieved ;  blessed  are  they  who,  without  seeing  me,  have 
believed."! 

*  Mark  xvi.  14-18.  i  Cor.  xv.  5.  Luke  xxiv.  36-49.  John 
XX.  19-23. 

t  John  XX.  24-29. 
25* 


294  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

After  this  the  eleven  disciples  went  away  to  Galilee, 
and  Jesus  showed  himself  again  to  them,  by  the  lake 
of  Tiberias ;  and  in  this  manner  he  showed  himself. 
There  were  together  Simon  Peter,  and  Thomas,  called 
Didymus,  and  Nathaniel  of  Cana,  in  Galilee,  and  the 
two  sons  of  Zebedee,  and  two  others  of  his  disciples. 
Simon  Peter  said  to  them  :  "I  am  going  a  fishing." 
They  said  to  him  :  "  We  too  will  go  with  you."  They 
went  and  entered  a  boat ;  but  that  night  they  caught 
nothing.  And  when  it  was  morning,  Jesus  stood  on 
the  shore  ;  but  the  disciples  knew  not  that  it  was  Jesus. 
Then  Jesus  said  to  them,  "  Children,  have  you  any 
fish  ? "  They  answered  him,  "  No."  He  said  to  them, 
"  Cast  the  net  on  the  right  side  of  the  boat,  and  you 
will  find  them."  Then  they  cast  it,  and  were  not  able 
to  draw  it  because  of  the  great  number  of  fishes. 
Then  that  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved  said  to  Peter, 
"  It  is  the  Lord  ! "  When  Simon  Peter  heard  that  it 
was  the  Lord,  he  girt  round  him  his  fisher's  coat,  (for 
he  was  without  his  cloak,)  and  cast  himself  into  the 
lake.  But  the  other  disciples  came  in  the  boat  —  for 
they  were  only  about  two  hundred  cubits  from  the 
shore,  —  dragging  the  net  with  the  fishes.  As  soon  as 
they  were  at  the  land,  they  saw  a  fire  of  coals,  and  a 
fish  lying  upon  it,  and  a  loaf  of  bread.  Jesus  said  to 
them,  "  Bring  some  of  the  fish  which  you  have  just 
caught."  Simon  Peter  went  on  board  the  boat,  and 
drew  the  net  to  land,  full  of  great  fishes,  a  hundred 
and  fifty  and  three  ;  and  though  there  were  so  many, 
the  net  was  not  broken.  Jesus  said  to  them,  "  Come 
and  breakfast?"  And  none  of  the  disciples  durst  ask 
him  who  he  was,  knowing  that  it  was  the  Lord.     Then 


THE    GREAT    DRAUGHT    OF    FISHES.  295 

Jesus  came  and  took  the  bread,  and  distributed  it  to 
them,  and  the  fish  also. 

This  was  the  third  time  that  Jesus  showed  himself 
to  his  disciples,  after  he  had  risen  from  the  dead. 

When  they  had  breakfasted,  Jesus  said  to  Simon 
Peter,  "  Simon,  son  of  Jonah,  do  you  love  me  more 
than  these  love  me.?"  He  answered,  "  In  truth  Lord, 
you  know  that  I  love  you."  Jesus  said  to  him  :  "  Feed 
my  lambs."  Again  he  said  to  him  a  second  time : 
"Simon,  son  of  Jonah,  do  you  love  me.?"  He  an- 
swered him,  "  In  truth,  Lord,  you  know  that  I  love 
you."  Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Feed  my  sheep."  He 
said  to  him  a  third  time,  "  Simon,  son  of  Jonah,  do 
you  love  me .?  "  Peter  was  grieved  because  he  asked 
him  a  third  time,  "  Do  you  love  me ; "  and  he  an- 
swered, "  Lord,  you  know  all  things  ;  you  know  that  I 
love  you."  Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Feed  my  sheep. 
Truly,  truly,  I  tell  you,  when  you  were  young,  you 
girt  yourself  and  walked  where  you  would  ;  but  when 
you  shall  be  old,  you  will  stretch  forth  your  hands,  and 
others  will  gird  you,  and  carry  you  when  you  would 
not."  This  he  spoke,  signifying  by  what  death  Peter 
would  glorify  God.  And  when  he  had  spoken  thus,  he 
said  to  him,  "  Follow  me."  Then  Peter,  turning  about, 
saw  the  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved  following ;  (the 
one  who  at  the  supper  leaned  on  the  breast  of  Jesus, 
and  said,  '  Lord,  who  is  it  that  betrays  thee  ? ')  Peter 
seeing  him,  said  to  Jesus,  "  Lord,  and  what  shall  this 
man  do?"  Jesus  said  to  him,  "If  I  will  that  he  re- 
main till  I  come,  what  is  that  to  you  ?     Follow  me." 

From  this  the  report  went  abroad  among  the  broth- 
ers, that  this  disciple  was  not  to  die ;  but  Jesus  said 


296  LIFE    OF  JESUS. 

not,  "  He  shall  not  die ;  but,  if  I  will  that  he  remain 
till  I  come,  what  is  that  to  you?  "  * 

After  this  he  was  seen  on  a  mountain  where  Jesus 
had  appointed,  by  more  than  five  hundred  brethren  at 
once,  of  whom  the  greater  remain  to  this  time,  but 
some  have  fallen  asleep.  And  when  they  saw  him 
they  prostrated  themselves  before  him  ;  but  some  were 
in  doubt.  Then  Jesus,  coming  near  them,  said  :  "Ail 
power  is  given  to  me  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  Go  ye, 
therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  that  I  have 
commanded  you  ;  and  Lo  !  I  am  with  you  always,  to 
the  end  of  the  world."t 

After  this  he  was  seen  of  James,  then  of  all  the 
apostles,  to  whom  he  showed  himself  alive  by  many 
infallible  proofs,  being  seen  by  them  forty  days,  and 
speaking  of  the  things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom  of 
God.  And  being  assembled  with  them  he  directed 
them  not  to  depart  from  Jerusalem,  but  to  wait  for  the 
promise  of  the  Father,  which  he  said,  "Ye  have  heard 
of  me.  For  John  truly  baptized  with  water  ;  but  you 
shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost  not  many  days 
hence."  When  they  were  then  together,  they  asked 
him,  "  Lord,  wilt  thou  at  this  time  restore  the  kingdom 
to  Israel?"  He  said  to  them,  "It  is  not  for  you 
to  know  the  times  or  the  seasons  which  the  Father  has 
in  his  own  power.  But  you  shall  receive  power  after 
the  Holy  Ghost  has  come  upon  you  ;  and  you  shall  be 

*  Matt,  xxviii.  16.    John  xxi.  1-24. 
fMatt.  xxviii.  16-20.     i  Cor.  xv.  6. 


THE    ASCENSION.  297 

my  witnesses  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Judea,  and  in 
Samaria,  and  to  the  utmost  ends  of  the  earth."  * 

And  leading  them  out  as  far  as  Bethany,  he  lifted  up 
his  hands  and  blessed  them.  And  while  he  blessed 
them  he  was  taken  up,  and  a  cloud  received  him  out 
of  their  sight ;  and  being  carried  up  into  heaven,  he 
sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  God. 

And  as  they  looked  intently  towards  heaven,  while 
he  was  going  up,  Lo  !  two  men  stood  by  them  in 
white  apparel,  who  said :  "  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why 
stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven.?  This  Jesus  who  is 
taken  up  from  you  into  heaven  shall  so  come,  in  like 
manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into  heaven." 

Then  they  returned  with  great  joy  to  Jerusalem, 
from  the  Mount  called  Olivet,  — which  is  distant  from 
Jerusalem  a  Sabbath-day's  journey,  —  and  were  con- 
tinually in  the  temple  praising  and  blessing  God. 
And  they  went  forth,  and  preached  everywhere,  the 
Lord  working  with  them,  and  confirming  their  teach- 
ing by  accompanying  miracles. f 

*  I  Cor.  XV.  7.     Acts  i.  3-8. 
t  Luke  xxiv  50-53.     Mark  xvi.  19,  20.     Acts  i.  9-12. 


